Iran’s Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei has thanked his country’s people for creating a “magnificent movement” to counter protests against higher fuel costs, unrest which he blamed on a vast conspiracy.

Khamenei said that a “grave, extensive and very dangerous conspiracy” was responsible for “destruction, villainy, and murder in Iran,” but that the chaos had been “quashed” by the Iranian people.

“The people proved again that they are powerful and great, and defeated the big conspiracy of the enemy with their presence on the scene,” Khamenei said, according to a statement released on his official website.

Also on rt.com ‘Cross our red lines & be destroyed’: Iran’s elite IRGC chief warns US, Israel and Saudi Arabia at large pro-govt rally

Pro-government marches reportedly sprung up in several parts of Iran to counter the demonstrations.

Tehran has repeatedly accused Washington and its allies of instigating the unrest. Last week, a militia commander who is part of the elite Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) claimed that Iran had foiled a “world war” started by a “coalition of evil” comprising of the United States, Saudi Arabia, and Israel.

Another senior IRGC commander claimed that Washington had “gone mad” over the fact that the Islamic Republic had returned to normalcy and that there was no more “disorder” in the streets.

Like this story? Share it with a friend!