Iran Situation ‘Under Control’; Trump Seeking Pretext: Araghchi

Iran’s situation is now “completely under control” after overcoming the ongoing unprecedented protests and unrest across the country, claimed the country’s Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi.

He made this claim on Monday (January 12) during a high-level meeting with foreign diplomats posted in Tehran. Araghchi said that although the level of violence surrounding the protests had increased significantly over the past weekend, the country’s law and order situation has now returned to normal.

He alleged that this nationwide movement was deliberately made bloody and violent in order to create an “excuse” for US President Donald Trump to carry out direct military intervention in Iran.

At the meeting, Foreign Minister Araghchi clarified Iran’s position on resolving the current crisis, saying, “We are prepared for war, but we are also keeping the door to dialogue open.” He further said that work is currently underway in coordination with security forces to quickly restore internet services across the country.

He assured the diplomats that internet connectivity would be restored very soon on a priority basis at embassies and government ministries. Earlier, in an effort to suppress the protests that began on December 28, the Iranian government took a hardline stance across the country and kept communication systems almost completely cut off for several days.

Meanwhile, Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, in a message posted on social media, sharply attacked US President Donald Trump. Without directly naming Trump, he compared him to infamous and arrogant dictators in history.

In his post, Khamenei wrote, “The one who sits arrogantly and judges the entire world should remember—arrogant rulers like Pharaoh, Nimrod, and Reza Shah fell precisely when they were at the peak of their power. His (Trump’s) downfall is also inevitable.” Khamenei’s remarks are being seen as a reflection of Tehran’s uncompromising stance in response to Trump’s call to build a ‘Great Iran.’

According to claims by international human rights organizations, more than five hundred people have been killed in clashes with security forces in Iran over the past two weeks, and several thousand protesters have been arrested. However, Araghchi’s statement today indicates that Tehran now wants to present the country’s situation as stable to the outside world.

At the same time, in the face of Trump’s military threats, the Iranian government has adopted a strategy of keeping both its defense preparedness and the path of diplomatic dialogue open. Analysts believe that although Tehran’s streets remain calm at this critical moment, the war of nerves between Washington and Tehran has taken a new turn.