As Iran protests persist, supreme leader blames foreigners for unrest

In his first public comments on the protests sweeping Iran, its supreme leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, on Monday characterized the unrest as “rioting” instigated by foreign powers, including the United States and Israel.

His remarks, to military cadets at a graduation ceremony in Tehran, appeared to dismiss the anger fueling the largest and most widespread protests in Iran in several years. They erupted two weeks ago in response to the death of Mahsa Amini, a 22-year-old woman who fell into a coma after she was arrested by members of Iran’s “morality police,” allegedly for violating the Islamic republic’s conservative dress code.