President Ebrahim Raisi on Sunday (October 16) blamed the U.S. for inciting "destruction, terror, riots and chaos" in Iran and around the world, amid protests that have rocked the country for the past four weeks.
"It is our belief that America is behind the majority of destruction, terror, riots and chaos in the region and the world," Raisi said, during a televised cabinet meeting.
"Americans are angered and upset by every innovation, every happiness or good that happens to Iran," he added.
Protests sparked by a woman's death in police custody on Sept. 16 have turned into one of the boldest challenges to Iran's clerical rulers since the 1979 revolution, with protesters calling for the downfall of the Islamic Republic, even if the unrest does not seem close to toppling the system.
Asked about a fire at Iran's Evin prison late on Saturday (October 15), U.S. President Joe Biden said on Saturday he was surprised by the courage of Iranian protesters. Earlier he had called on Iran "to end the violence against its own citizens simply exercising their fundamental rights."
Iran, which has blamed the violence on enemies at home and abroad, denies security forces have killed protesters.
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