Trump-Netanyahu and EU incited Iranian protests: President Pezeshkian

Recently, US President Donald Trump, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and European Union (EU) leaders have been “inciting” protests in Iran, Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian said.

According to a report by Iran’s state-run Student News Network on Saturday (January 31), Pezeshkian said in a televised speech that they have armed and recruited many innocent people into the movement and brought them to the streets. They were incited in such a way that they would tear the country apart and spread conflict and hatred among the people.

The Iranian president also said, “In any normal protest, no one takes up a gun. They don’t kill members of the military. They don’t set fire to ambulances or markets. We should sit with the protesters. Listen to their words and concerns and address them. We are ready to listen.’

Pezeshkian said, ‘Everyone knows that this was not just a social movement. Foreign powers took advantage of our internal problems, provoked us and tried to divide our country and society.’

Tehran authorities have admitted that thousands of people have been killed in the recent protests and put the death toll at more than 3,000. However, they claim that most of the dead were members of the security forces or pedestrians killed by ‘rioters’. However, Western-based human rights groups claim that the death toll is likely much higher.

Al-Jazeera reported.