Iran's supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei
(Picture: AP)Iran premier Ayatollah Ali Khamenei said the death of Masha Amini in custody of the country’s morality police “left us heartbroken”.
The supreme leader responded publicly on Monday to the biggest protests in the country in years, breaking weeks of silence to condemn the "rioting" and accuse protests of being planned by the US and Israel.
Mr Khamenei described the death of 22-year-old Ms Amini in the custody of Iran's morality police, which set off the nationwide protests, as "a sad incident" that "left us heartbroken." However, he sharply condemned the protests as a foreign plot to destabilise Iran, echoing authorities' previous comments.
"This rioting was planned," he told a cadre of police students in Tehran. "I say clearly that these riots and insecurities were designed by America and the Zionist regime, and their employees."
He added of the protests: "Such actions are not normal, are unnatural."
He expressed strong backing for the security forces, saying they had faced injustice during the protests
His comments come as nationwide protests sparked by Ms Amini's death entered a third week despite the government's efforts to crack down.
Authorities have repeatedly blamed foreign countries and exiled opposition groups for fanning the unrest, without providing evidence.
The protests over Ms Amini's death have tapped into a deep well of grievances in Iran, including the country's surging prices, high unemployment, social restrictions and political repression.
Demonstrations have continued in Tehran and far-flung provinces even as authorities have restricted internet access to the outside world and blocked social media apps.
Parliament speaker Mohammad Bagher Qalibaf told legislators that unlike the current protests, which he said were aimed at toppling the government, previous demonstrations by teachers and retirees over pay were aimed at reforms.
Mr Qalibaf said: "The important point of the [past] protests was that they were reform-seeking and not aimed at overthrowing [the system].
"I ask all who have any [reasons to] protest not to allow their protest to turn into destabilising and toppling [of institutions]."
