Iranian Crisis and the Role of Iranian Leaders?

“The Islamic Republic will not back down against vandals. It will not tolerate mercenaries of foreigners,”The Islamic Revolution Leader Ayatollah

These deepfakes and recycled footage from previous years were used to create the illusion of widespread chaos.

Tehran (ANN)- The uprising of the Iranian protesters seems to be encouraged from abroad, and the voices of the United States and Israel encourage them. but the demonstrators became unimpressed with the voices coming from outside, and said that they are never welcome foreign intervention, although the movement of the protesters does not seem to have reached the level of the protests of 2022 that the Iranian government seized and suppressed.

Iranian security and judicial authorities have announced the dismantling of several armed terror cells and the arrest of foreign-linked operatives amid a wave of foreign-backed riots that have claimed the lives of several law enforcement officers.

The unrest has continued for several days, with rioters exploiting public concerns over rising living costs and currency depreciation to incite violence.

In the western city of Borujerd, Public Prosecutor Goodarz Amraei confirmed the arrest of several ringleaders for orchestrating riots and attacking religious sites and public property.

According to judicial reports, the suspects were non-local individuals with extensive criminal records who had entered the city specifically to incite violence.

The Lorestan Police Information Center announced that security forces had neutralized a four-member armed team in Borujerd.

The cell was reportedly preparing a false-flag killing operation aimed at blaming the state for civilian deaths to further destabilize the region. Firearms, ammunition, and specialized equipment for manufacturing improvised explosive devices (IEDs) were seized from the group’s hideout.

Accooding to the Iranian press report Ayatollah Khamenei
The Islamic Revolution Leader says Tehran will stand firm against vandalism and foreign-backed unrest, noting that Iran “will not back down” in the face of those acting to curry favor with the US president.
Ayatollah Seyyed Ali Khamenei made the statement on Friday amid days of foreign-backed riots in some Iranian cities.
Pointing to the damage incurred to the public property last night by a “bunch of vandals”, Ayatollah Khamenei said that they have done that “to make the American president happy.”
The vandals were encouraged by “baseless” remarks from Washington promising support if Iran acted in a certain way, noted the Leader.
Referring directly to US President Donald Trump, Ayatollah Khamenei dismissed his repeated claims of standing with the Iranian people. “If he can, he should run his own country,” the Leader said, pointing to unrest and crises inside the United States.
Ayatollah Khamenei also pointed to the direct responsibility of Trump for killing hundreds of Iranians during the 12-day US-Israeli war of aggression against Iran in June 2025.
“He himself said, ‘I gave the order,’” the Leader noted, adding that the admission amounted to a confession that the US president’s “hands are stained with the blood of Iranians.”
He said this made Washington’s claims of supporting the Iranian nation “meaningless.”
He also criticized the naivety of those who follow foreign cues. “Some inexperienced and thoughtless people believe him and act according to his wishes,” Ayatollah Khamenei said, citing acts such as setting fire to trash bins “so that he would be pleased.”
Stressing the state’s red lines, the Leader said the Islamic Republic, which he noted was established through the sacrifice of “hundreds of thousands of honorable people,” would not tolerate destruction or foreign servitude.
“The Islamic Republic will not back down against vandals. It will not tolerate mercenaries of foreigners,” he said, adding that anyone who works for foreign powers is “rejected” both by the nation and the Islamic system.
Ayatollah Khamenei likened the US president to past tyrants, saying figures such as Pharaoh, Nimrod and Iran’s former dictators were toppled “at the height of their arrogance.” “This one will be toppled as well,” he said.
The remarks came as Iranian officials reiterated that while peaceful protests over economic grievances are legitimate and will be addressed, violence and sabotage will not be tolerated.

In a separate development, four individuals were arrested in Qazvin for plotting sophisticated attacks on military and government installations.

On Monday, security officials in Tehran announced the arrest of a Mossad operative who was operating covertly among rioters.

According to officials, the suspect confessed to acting as a high-level liaison, receiving tactical instructions via social media platforms such as Instagram and Telegram from handlers based in Germany.

His mission included recruiting young people for street violence and documenting unrest for use by foreign propaganda outlets.

Iranian authorities have also moved to counter a coordinated digital warfare campaign fueled by disinformation.

In Tehran, 40 individuals were arrested for using artificial intelligence (AI) tools to create and circulate fabricated images and videos of unrest.

These deepfakes and recycled footage from previous years were used to create the illusion of widespread chaos.

Officials said the suspects were identified through technical and intelligence operations, and the misleading content was removed in coordination with judicial authorities.

Four policemen martyred

Meanwhile, at least four police officers were martyred in separate incidents across the country on Wednesday and Thursday.

In Malard, west of Tehran, Officer Shahin Dehghan was fatally stabbed while attempting to restore order during a riot.

In the southeastern province of Sistan and Baluchestan, Mahmoud Haghighat was assassinated when gunmen, later identified as members of the Jaish al-Adl terrorist group, opened fire on his vehicle.

In the southwest city of Lordegan, clashes escalated when rioters, some armed with military-grade hunting rifles, opened fire on police, killing two officers and wounding 30 others.

The bodies of the two officers identified as Staff Sergeant Hadi Azaraz and Staff Sergeant Moslem Mahdavi-Nasab were carried in a funeral procession on Thursday in the martyrs’ cemetery in the city of Shahr-e Kord before being transferred to their hometowns.

Authorities say the fatalities mark a violent escalation that goes beyond economic protest, describing the incidents as a calculated effort to destabilize the country through armed insurrection.