People protest in Los Angeles, California, U.S., in support of anti-government protesters in Iran © Lucy Nicholson / Reuters
Mohammad Jafar Montazeri said Thursday that the “main protector” of the agitation plan was an American national called Michael Andrea, a man he claims is a former CIA agent who formed a group tasked with fermenting discord in the country.
The state prosecutor also pointed to Israel and Saudi Arabia. Montazeri is quoted in Iran’s Islamic Republic News Agency (IRNA) as saying that Andrea, and an unnamed officer affiliated with Israel’s spy agency Mossad, masterminded the plot dubbed the ‘Consequential Convergence Doctrine’ and that Saudi Arabia picked up the bill.
Trump had previously tweeted that “The U.S. is watching!” as a wave of protests erupted last Thursday, with people said to be demonstrating against rising food prices, unemployment, and the overall economic situation. A reported 22 people died as the government cracked down on protesters.