(Presstv) -- “Everyone should be suspicious when something like this happens, especially when the western media and western officials, especially [US President Donald] Trump jump all over these things, and bash Iran, blame Iran for mistreating its people and so on and so forth,” Stephen Lendman told Press TV on Wednesday.
“I believe what is happening is the protests were orchestrated by the CIA, I believe complicit with Israel’s Mossad,” Lendman said.
The violence is “a clear tip-off that foreign interference is behind what’s happening,” he added.
Since Thursday, groups of Iranian protesters have staged demonstrations in several cities over rising prices and economic hardships, which are partly the result of years-long illegal US-led economic sanctions against the country.
The peaceful protests turned violent when groups of participants, some of them armed, vandalized public property and launched attacks on police stations and government buildings.
Over a dozen people have been killed in the ensuing violence, according to state media reports.
In a series of tweets on Wednesday, Trump again expressed his support for rioters in Iran, saying they are finally taking action against the country’s government.
"Such respect for the people of Iran as they try to take back their corrupt government. You will see great support from the United States at the appropriate time!” the full Twitter post reads.
In a tweet on Tuesday, Trump called the Iranian government “brutal and corrupt” and said that the United States is “watching” its actions, shortly after the Leader of the Islamic Revolution announced that Iran’s enemies were encouraging violence in the country.
Iranian officials say Trump’s support for rioters in Iran shows Washington's scheme to hatch a new act of sedition against the Islamic Republic.
Leader of the Islamic Revolution Ayatollah Seyyed Ali Khamenei said on Tuesday that Iran’s enemies have been using various tools to harm the Islamic establishment.
Ayatollah Khamenei, however, described “the spirit of courage, sacrifice and faith” in the Iranian nation as an obstacle in the way of the enemy.