In an interview with Al Jazeera, Iran’s Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi separates what he calls peaceful demonstrations from a later period of unrest he attributes to “terrorist elements” entering the protests after 8 January 2026.
Araghchi says demonstrations between 28 December 2025 and 7 January 2026 were lawful expressions of grievance under Iran’s constitution. He then alleges that armed groups, which he claims were organised externally, sought to raise casualties by firing on both security forces and some demonstrators.
Referencing past conflict, he describes 8 January as “the 13th day” following last year’s 12-day war between Iran and Israel — a brief armed conflict in June 2025 that involved US airstrikes on Iranian nuclear and military sites and a brokered ceasefire. He suggests external actors are attempting to achieve through internal unrest what they did not achieve militarily.
Araghchi says Iran cut internet access to disrupt coordination among these groups and states that Iran is “ready for all options,” including military confrontation if it is “tested” again.
ℹ️ Al Jazeera
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