Iran: Foreign minister Araghchi accuses West of ‘crocodile tears’ over protests, silence on Gaza

Iran accuses West of hypocrisy over protests

Iran on Monday accused the United States and its Western allies of double standards, accusing them of shedding “crocodile tears” over unrest inside Iran while staying silent on Israel’s actions in Gaza, as protests continued across the country.

Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi said Western governments were selectively outraged, arguing they voiced concern for what he described as “terrorists in Iran” while ignoring alleged crimes committed by Israel in Gaza.

“The West sheds crocodile tears for terrorists in Iran but remains silent on the crimes of the Israeli entity in Gaza,” Araghchi said.

His comments came as demonstrations that began late last month over rising prices persisted in several regions and broadened into a wider challenge to Iran’s clerical leadership.

Despite the ongoing unrest, Araghchi insisted the situation was contained. “The situation in the country is fully under control,” he was quoted as saying by the Associated Press. He also claimed authorities possessed video evidence showing weapons being distributed among protesters and said confessions from those detained would be made public soon.

The foreign minister said restricted internet services would be restored gradually, but only in coordination with security agencies, signalling that controls would remain as the government seeks to rein in the protests.

Iranian officials have repeatedly accused the United States and Israel of stoking the unrest and have called for a nationwide rally on Tuesday to denounce what they described as “terrorist actions led by the United States and Israel.”

Despite these assurances, protests have continued. Videos circulating on social media on Saturday appeared to show large crowds marching at night in Tehran, clapping and chanting. In one clip, a voice can be heard saying, “The crowd has no end nor beginning.”

The protests erupted on December 28, initially driven by anger over soaring prices, before expanding into broader opposition to the political system established after the 1979 Islamic Revolution.

The US-based Human Rights Activists News Agency (HRANA) said it had confirmed the deaths of 490 protesters and 48 members of the security forces since the unrest began, adding that more than 10,600 people had been arrested.

Meanwhile, US President Donald Trump has threatened action against Iran if its security forces fire on protesters. The Wall Street Journal reported that Trump has weighed a range of options, including military strikes, cyber operations, tougher sanctions and providing online support to anti-government groups.