Hassan Rouhani, the president of the Islamic Republic tied the recent anti-regime protests in Iran to “the regressives in the region, Zionists, and Americans”.

In his weekly cabinet meeting on Wednesday, Rouhani said: “It became clear that who had come to the streets, and the agitators were a small number of them. But the agitators were organized, prepared, and armed, and worked according to the plan designed by the regressives in the region, Zionists, and Americans.”

“People once again succeeded in the face of the enemy’s plot to destabilize the country. Those who sanctioned us for two years were hoping that these pressures would cause people to come to the streets and resist, but they did not succeed,” said Rouhani.

The president of the Islamic Republic called on the security forces, judiciary, and the state-TV to “do their job” and report “who came to the streets, with what intentions, what actions they took to harm people’s lives and property, and what did they achieve.” Some believe this request could lead to more forced TV-confessions.

Rouhani also claimed that some agitators attacked the people with guns and knives and said: “We must be decisive against the mercenaries who act against the national security.”

He went on to say that the cabinet continues to coordinate with other branches of government in big decisions.