Documentation of Foreign Interference in Recent Riots Will Be Presented

TEHRAN (Defapress) - The Iranian Minister of Foreign Affairs, Seyed Abbas Araghchi, attended a meeting with ambassadors in Tehran today (Monday), January 12, 2026.

This is Araghchi's second meeting with ambassadors since the 12-day imposed war. Ambassadors from UK, Germany, Russia, India, South Korea, Venezuela, Turkey, and others were among those present at the meeting.

He stated: "In a few weeks, we will celebrate the anniversary of the Islamic Revolution."

Araghchi continued: "Since December 28, we have witnessed some protests, mainly at the market level and among businessmen and economic activists. These were completely peaceful demonstrations to express their grievances, which is the right of every Iranian citizen according to the Iranian Constitution.

He said: "We had three days of peaceful protests, mainly at the market level, and the government immediately initiated talks with representatives of the shopkeepers. The President met with the head of the Chamber of Commerce and Industry and a group of economic activists. Economic ministers held meetings and listened to their demands, and some economic measures and reforms were designed to be implemented. Since the protests were intended to be peaceful, the shopkeepers and economic activists expressed their problems, and the government listened, and the protests gradually subsided, replaced by dialogue.

The Foreign Minister continued: "On the third day, the protest ended with a dialogue between the government and economic activists. However, from January 1st, new protests emerged but in a new form."

He added: "The first phase was peaceful and progressed through dialogue. The second phase saw new individuals joining the protests and pushing them towards violence."

The Iranian Foreign Minister stated: "Many countries experience such protests, and our security forces dealt with them with full restraint, trying to prevent violence. From January 1st to 7th, we faced such protests, accompanied by some violence, which we considered completely acceptable, and our security forces tried to control the protests through calm measures. But from January 8th, we faced a completely new and different phase."

He further added: "From January 8th to 10th, we witnessed the entry of terrorist elements and terrorist groups into the protest scene, and we saw weapons being brought into the protests by demonstrators, and it was clear that plans were being made to divert the protests from their main course and turn them into social violence, bloodshed, and chaos on a national scale."

Araghchi added: Armed elements were shooting at police and security forces, and we realized they were not only targeting police but also ordinary citizens, and their aim was to increase the number of casualties. The goal was to have more death casualties because Trump had said that if people get killed, we will intervene, and this is a clear interference in the internal affairs of another country.

He further stated: We have recorded voices instructing protesters to shoot if they could, hit the police and if they couldn't, attack ordinary people, or even the boys and girls to increase the death toll.

Araghchi continued: Many of those killed were shot from behind by these individuals, and then they resorted to raw violence reminiscent of the ISIS style.

The Iranian Foreign Minister said: They beheaded several police officers. They burned people alive, set public places, government buildings, and police stations on fire, and even burned homes and shops.

He noted: They threatened shop owners by gun to close their shops, otherwise they would burn them down. In one city, they set fire to 200 shops. They burned ambulances and then mosques. No Iranian would attack and burn a mosque. They set fire to 53 mosques. They killed the wounded. In one case, they intended to take 11 wounded to the hospital, but instead killed them.

Araghchi continued: They paid 20 million tomans to each vandal to set places on fire. All the evidence is there.

He added: There are videos of them shooting at people and even distributing weapons among the crowd.

The Iranian Foreign Minister stated: Many of whom were killed were shot by vandals’ bullets or killed in strange ways using stones, bricks, etc.

He said: They tried to deal with the situation in a ISIS-like manner, using fear and terror.

Araghchi added: The third phase of the protests is no longer a protest; it's a terrorist war in the cities of the country.

He mentioned: Since January 8th, we haven't had protests; we've had terrorist attacks.

The Iranian Foreign Minister continued: From January 10th onwards, we are in the next phase, which is now under control. Our security forces have intervened, and many terrorists, along with their weapons, have been arrested.

He stated: There is substantial evidence of foreign interference that will be presented to the international community and the people.

A clip of terrorist actions by the rioters was then shown.

The Iranian Foreign Minister further remarked: There was a scene in the video that you must have noticed; the police in the United States shooting at a 37-year-old mother of three in her car, and Trump claiming the police were defending themselves. The scene is clear.

He added: In Iran, police officers have been shot and killed, and it's surprising to hear the claims made afterwards.

Araghchi said: The US Department of Homeland Security has stated that if you touch a police officer, we will respond strongly, and yet here, protesters who shoot at the police are called peaceful demonstrators.

He continued: We have substantial evidence indicating American and Israeli involvement in this terrorist operation.

Araghchi mentioned: The media in Israel is filled with claims that they are planning operations in Iran. Pompeo, who was the CIA director during Trump's term, tweeted and congratulated the Iranians and the Mossad agents alongside them. This is a clear admission that Mossad agents were trying to direct this terrorist operation.

He stated: Those who caused the deaths and designed the terrorist operation, and those who killed innocent people in Iran, must be held accountable and accept their responsibilities. It's interesting to see the positions of some Western countries; instead of condemning terrorism, they are condemning our police, and these are the same countries that ignored the genocide and killing of 70,000 people in Gaza and never condemned it.

The Foreign Minister concluded: They didn't condemn Israel and America's attacks on Iran, but they shed tears for terrorists inside Iran or for protesters who have the right to peacefully express their opposition.