Iranians slapped US, enemies in face by foiling violent riots: IRGC chief

The chief commander of the Islamic Revolution Guards Corps (IRGC) has highlighted the enemy’s latest plot to provoke unrest in Iran, saying the nation once again slapped the US and other arrogant powers in the face by nipping foreign-backed riots hitting the country in the bud.

Major General Hossein Salami made the remarks at Azadi Stadium in Tehran on Wednesday during a commemoration ceremony for 92,000 martyrs of Iran’s volunteer Basij Force.

“In the past weeks, the Iranian nation once again slapped the arrogance — especially the US — in the face,” said the IRGC chief, referring to the Iranian people’s response to the violent riots that hit a number of Iranian cities last month.” This is Iran, which has stood firm in defending its national and Islamic values.”

Iranians hold pro-govt., anti-rioting rallies in several cities

Hundreds rally across major Iranian provinces to denounce the rioting and vandalism, which has been staged across the country under the guise of protest at fuel price hike.

In mid-November, the Iranian government raised gasoline prices in order to moderate the national consumption rate.

The move prompted protests in a number of cities that went largely peaceful, but turned violent when armed riotous elements took advantage of the situation to vandalize public and state property, and attack civilians and security forces alike.

Iran says many of the rioters were found to have links to the notorious US-backed Mujahedin-e Khalq Organization (MKO) terror group, royalists and separatists besides members of organized groups trained towards staging acts of sabotage.

US leaders openly supported the rioters, with Secretary of State Mike Pompeo calling on them to send him videos of their acts of violence.

Iran arrests eight people linked to CIA during recent riots

Iranian security agents arrested at least eight people linked to the US Central Intelligence Agency during last week

The unrest, however, did not last long as people from all walks of life took to the streets across the country, this time in support of the Islamic establishment and in condemnation of the riots.

Salami further said that the enemies were attempting to incite “sedition” in Iran with the goal of “making up for its successive defeats against the Iranian people.”

He added that the enemies sought to portray the chaos in Iran as an outcome of “psychological pressure” on Iranians caused by Washington’s so-called maximum pressure campaign.

The Iranian people, however, managed to once again turn the enemy threat into an opportunity as they “were well aware that Iran faces a security risk whenever the enemies infiltrate into the country from abroad.”

“The enemy thought that the nation would be pitted against the [Islamic] establishment. Its calculations have always been wrong about the Iranians, who are aware of the nature of US polices,” he said.

The IRGC chief then pointed to similar conspiracies targeting other regional nations such as Lebanon, Syria, Iraq and Yemen.

Touching on the developments in Lebanon, Salami praised Hezbollah for standing firm against the Israeli regime, saying the resistance movement will successfully thwart any Zionist plot against the Arab country.

The Syrians, he stressed, have been defending their homeland, while the Iraqis are defending their religious identity and national dignity against Saudi-American conspiracies.

In Bahrain, people are defying the Al Khalifah rulers in pursuit of freedom and independence, while the Yemeni people have overwhelmed the Saudis and the Emiratis by putting up resistance in the face of their deadly military campaign.

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