Leader says riots enemy plot devised in ‘clumsy’ reaction to nation’s progress

Leader of the Islamic Revolution Ayatollah Seyyed Ali Khamenei says the recent scattered riots in several Iranian cities have been devised by enemies as a “clumsy,” “foolish” and “passive” reaction to the Iranian nation’s great moves and innovative progress.

In a meeting with members of the Expediency Council on Wednesday, Ayatollah Khamenei cautioned the country’s authorities not to let such “small incidents” distract them from their major duties.

“The Iranian nation made great moves in a short period of time, which were 180 degrees opposite to the global arrogance’s policies, and they were forced to react,” he said, referring to the United States and other Western powers.

“In this context, by planning and spending money, they brought people including some politicians in America, Europe and some other places to the field,” the Leader added.

Protests erupted after the death of Mahsa Amini, who fainted at a police station and was pronounced dead days later at a Tehran hospital on September 16, first in her native province of Kordestan and later in several cities, including the capital Tehran.

Immediately after Amini’s death, Iranian President Ebrahim Raeisi ordered a thorough investigation into the case, which led to an official report published on Friday saying her death had been caused by an illness rather than alleged blows to her head or other vital body organs.

What started as peaceful protests took a violent turn after unruly protesters fatally attacked policemen and indulged in vandalism against public property in several cities.

‘Only solution is to stand firm’

Ayatollah Khamenei said enmities toward Iran will continue in various forms as long as the people of Iran take up the flag of Islam and accompany the Islamic Republic. “The only solution is to stand firm,” he asserted.

Addressing the Iranian authorities, the Leader said they need to be careful not to be distracted by these “minor incidents” from carrying out their main duties in domestic and international arenas.

“The constructions, great executive works, effective legislation, big judicial works, and important issues in foreign policy should not be sidelined by these minor incidents,” he said.

Elsewhere in his remarks, the Leader reiterated his earlier call on authorities to differentiate between minor acts of vandalism and big roles in the riots.

“Some of these people are either the elements of the enemy or are aligned with the enemy, while some others have been [only] provoked,” he said.

He added that cultural programs should be implemented with regard to the second group but the first group should be dealt with by judicial and security authorities.

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