Tehran says it has evidence of U.S. and Israeli involvement in recent deadly unrest, with Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi telling diplomats that former U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo also admitted that Mossad agents were guiding the terrorist movement alongside the rioters.
“We have a large amount of documents proving that both the US and Israel are involved in the terrorist activities that have taken place in Iran in recent days,” he said. Araghchi added, “We will investigate the issue, but those whose statements contributed to a rise in casualties are responsible for these developments.” He also noted, “Former Secretary of State Mike Pompeo has admitted that agents of [Israel’s intelligence agency] Mossad were guiding the terrorist movement together with rioters.”
He criticized Western countries for condemning Iranian police rather than attackers, saying, “They are the ones who failed to denounce the genocide of more than 70,000 people in the Gaza Strip and the death of over 1,000 Iranian citizens by the hands of the US and Israel. Today, they are backing terrorists in Iran.”
The unrest began on December 29, 2025, when merchants protested the falling value of the rial. University students joined the next day, and demonstrations spread to major cities. Violence peaked on January 8, leaving at least 13 civilians, including a three-year-old, dead, and 38 law enforcement officers killed. Iranian authorities have labeled the rioters as terrorists.
