A “world war” against Tehran has been foiled, a militia belonging to Iran’s elite Revolutionary Guards has announced, describing recent protests over fuel price hikes as a plot instigated by Washington and its allies.

“A full-fledged world war against the system and the revolution was born and, fortunately, the child died at the moment of birth,” said Brigadier General Salar Abnoosh, a deputy head of the Basij militia, one of the five forces of the Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC).

The commander accused a “coalition of evil” comprising the United States, Saudi Arabia and Israel, of being behind several days of unrest in the Islamic Republic.

The Revolutionary Guards said in a statement that protests had erupted in around 100 cities across Iran after the government raised fuel prices. As a result of the military’s “insight and timely action,” the unrest ended “in less than 24 hours and in some cities in 72 hours,” the Corps claimed.

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The group’s deputy commander, Brigadier General Ali Fadavi, said that Washington has “gone mad” over the fact that the country has returned to normalcy and that there is no more “disorder” in the streets.

Hours earlier, US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo had called on Iran’s “brave protesters” to share videos and photographs exposing abuses by Iranian law enforcement and military personnel. He said the material would be used to “sanction” Iran for human rights violations.

Tehran has scoffed at Washington’s statements of support for the protesters, noting that US sanctions have barred “delivery of food and drugs to the elderly and patients.”

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