RNA - "The enemy was aware of the country's problems and was monitoring the situation precisely since long time ago and it was seeking to provoke and intensify the grievances (among people)," Alavi said, addressing a meeting with officials in the Central city of Qom on Monday.
"The anti-revolutionary forces and enemies had special plans by their calls (for protests) to spread the riots and gatherings (to all cities and towns) but this plot was foiled given the vigilance of the security and intelligence forces," he added.
Last week, a number of peaceful protests began in several areas across the country, with the participants calling on authorities to address their economic issues.
However, the economic protests in a number of Iranian towns in the past few days turned into riots each comprised of a few hundred protesters after the peaceful gatherings were overshadowed when armed elements and vandals showed up among ordinary protesters and began to launch attacks on public property, police stations and religious sites.
The original protesters soon left the streets upon calls by the authorities so security forces could deal with the rioters and sporadic violence, which continued in some towns and cities for several days.
Millions of people have taken to the streets in the past few days in nationwide rallies to reiterate support for the Islamic establishment and condemn the unrests, following scattered riots in some parts of the country.
Supreme Leader of the Islamic Revolution Ayatollah Seyed Ali Khamenei warned last Tuesday that the enemies have mobilized all their power and tools to hit a blow at Iran, alluding to certain foreign states' role in the recent riots in the country.
"The enemy has always been waiting for an opportunity and a breach to enter and hit a blow to the Iranian nation," Ayatollah Khamenei said, addressing the families of the Iranian martyrs in Tehran.
"During the events in the past few days, the enemies of Iran allied to create problem for the Islamic Republic by different tools in their hands, including money, weapons, policy and security organizations," he added.
Ayatollah Khamenei said that the nation's spirit of bravery, sacrifice and faith blocks the enemy and its hostilities, adding that he will speak with people about the recent protests and unrests in Iran in due time.
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