BEIRUT, Lebanon, Jan. 9 (UPI) -- Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi accused the United States and Israel on Friday of "direct involvement" in his country's ongoing anti-government street protests and of attempting to turn them violent, while dismissing their military intervention as "a weak possibility."
Speaking during a news conference after meeting with Lebanese House Speaker Nabih Berri, Araghchi said the current wave of demonstrations in Iran was similar, "to a large extent," to the popular protests that broke out in Lebanon in 2019, when the collapse of the national currency and rising prices of hard currencies triggered widespread unrest.
He said the government in Tehran was seeking to "avoid this problem" and resolve it through dialogue.
"What differs this time are statements by American and Israeli officials indicating their direct involvement and interference in the disturbances in Iran," he said. "They are trying hard to turn these peaceful protests into violence."
He cited, as an example, Mike Pompeo, the former U.S. CIA director and secretary of state, who addressed Iranian protesters in a post on X on Jan., saying: "Happy New Year to every Iranian in the streets. Also to every Mossad agent walking beside them ...."
