The Iranian embassy in Cyprus has issued a statement claiming that recent protests in Iran were driven by foreign interference, relaying assessments from state authorities that evaluated developments on the ground.
According to the statement circulated by the Embassy of Iran, the initial phase of demonstrations in December was peaceful and linked primarily to economic conditions.
Initial protests described as peaceful
The embassy states that the first phase of the protests focused on economic grievances and that authorities engaged directly with trade union representatives and economic activists in an effort to address their concerns.
It is claimed that this period was marked by cooperation between demonstrators and state authorities, without significant incidents of violence.
Escalation and allegations of violence
According to the statement, the situation later escalated as “new elements” became involved, leading to widespread public disorder and damage to property, although demonstrators were said to have remained largely unarmed at that stage.
The embassy further claims that violent armed groups subsequently joined the unrest. These groups are described as “armed terrorist elements” equipped with firearms, who allegedly targeted both security forces and civilians.
Claims of foreign involvement
The statement alleges that the involvement of the United States and the Israel in facilitating these acts is “clear and acknowledged”.
According to the embassy, violence was carried out following foreign direction, including attacks on emergency services, acts of sabotage, and damage to mosques, banks, commercial complexes, government buildings, fire engines and ambulances in Tehran and other areas. It is also claimed that security forces seized more than 1,300 weapons from what are described as terrorist groups.
Reference to past conflict and public opinion
The embassy further states that the Islamic Republic of Iran views the unrest as a continuation of what it describes as the “Twelve-Day War”, referring to alleged joint US–Israeli military action against Iran in June 2025.
It is also claimed that more than 80% of the population expressed a desire for the unrest to end and for those responsible for violence to be held accountable. According to the same assessment, around 30% attributed the events primarily to domestic economic issues, while more than 70% identified foreign instigation as the main cause.
The embassy did not provide evidence to support the allegations, and the claims could not be independently verified. Iranian authorities have previously attributed protest movements to foreign interference, a claim disputed by human rights groups.
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