TEHRAN – Iranian President Ayatollah Seyed Ebrahim Raisi has said that the enemies devised a conspiracy to isolate Iran when it was making economic and diplomatic progress. 

Speaking before noon on Sunday in the fourth meeting of the Supreme Council for the Promotion and Development of the Culture of Sacrifice and Martyrdom, President Raisi commented on Iran’s unrest in recent days. 

Ayatollah Raisi pointed out the media controversy of the West against our country and said about their double standards.

“Although in Iran the issue of Miss Amini's death is being followed up completely and carefully and all the officials have emphasized it, but at the same time, the enemy is trying to divert public opinion by preparing extensive media measures, while a group of Afghan girls are killed in a school by American-backed terrorist groups, and there is no reaction from these self-proclaimed activists! In such a situation, is it acceptable to claim to pursue human rights and women's rights on the part of Westerners?” he said, according to the Iranian presidency.

He described the enemy's purpose of designing a new conspiracy to prevent the country from progressing and said, “When the Islamic Republic was overcoming economic problems and becoming more active in the region and the world, the enemies entered the field with the intention of isolating the country, but they failed in this conspiracy as well.”

Over the last two weeks, Iran has been in the throes of nationwide unrest that started peacefully but quickly turned violent.

Protests in Iran began two weeks ago over the death in police custody of Maha Amini. Mahsa Amini collapsed as a result of a stroke suffered in the custody based on footage released by police authorities. The incident caused huge anger and sorrow in Iran, prompting the country’s highest political echelons to highlight the need to investigate the incident.

In the early days of the death of Mahsa Amini, President Raisi ordered an investigation into the tragic death. He also spoke to the family of Amini to offer condolences and assure them about following up on the case.

“I learned about this incident during my trip to Uzbekistan, and I immediately ordered my colleagues to investigate the matter especially. I assure you that I will demand this issue from the responsible institutions so that its dimensions are clarified and no rights are violated,” President Raisi told the family, adding, “Your daughter is like my own daughter, and I feel that this incident happened to one of my loved ones. Please accept my condolences.”

More than 40 people died and dozens of others were injured during the unrest, with severe damage being inflicted to some private and public properties.