RNA - "Our country, as an independent state, has always shown that it would never keep quiet against such damage," General Hatami told FNA after a cabinet meeting in Tehran on Wednesday.
He referred to the Tuesday remarks by Supreme Leader of the Islamic Revolution Ayatollah Seyed Ali Khamenei who warned Washington of Iran's retaliatory measures, and said, "They (the Americans) have received a decisive response wherever they have inflicted damage on our country and this time they will certainly receive a response as such."
Addressing a large gathering of Iranian people from the Central city of Qom in Tehran on Tuesday, Ayatollah Khamenei blamed the US, the Zionist regime, certain regional states and Mojahedin-e Khalq Organization (MKO, also known as the MEK, PMOI and NCRI) for the recent riots and unrest in Iran, warning Washington of Iran's response.
The leader warned the US statesmen that they will fail in their plots against Iran similar to the past and during the recent unrests.
"You inflicted damage on Iran in these days (of unrests) and this will not remain unanswered," he underlined, addressing the US rulers.
Ayatollah Khamenei also addressed US President Donald Trump, warning him that he will pay the price for his theatrical crazy moves.
"All moves against us, by the enemy over the past 40 years, have been attacks on the Islamic Revolution. The Revolution politically eradicated the enemy from Iran. Once again, the nation tells the US, Britain, and those who seek to overthrow the Islamic Republic of Iran from abroad that you've failed, and you will fail in the future, too," he said.
"Regarding the recent events, there have been various analyses. There is a correct point commonly made: that is separating people's honest and rightful demands from the violent and vandalizing moves by a certain group; these two must be separated," Ayatollah Khamenei said.
"According to the proof presented in the intel, there has been a triangle activating these events. The scheme was formed by the US and Zionists. The money came from a wealthy government near the Persian Gulf, and the third element was the henchmen. The butchers, MEK, were hired as minions for this plot," he added.
Ayatollah Khamenei underlined that the US is utterly angry at everyone and everything, the nation, the establishment, and the Islamic Revolution of Iran "because they've been defeated by your (people's) great movement".
"The US officials have started talking nonsense: the US president says the Iranian establishment is afraid of its people. No! the Iranian establishment was born by these people, it's for people, relies on them. Why should it be scared of them? If it was not for these people, there wouldn't be an establishment," he added.
"The US President says the Iranian establishment is terrified by their power. Well, if we were so terrified by you, how did we kick you out of Iran in late 70s and send you packing, out of the entire region, in the 2010s?" Ayatollah Khamenei said.
"The US President says the Iranian people are hungry. Don't they see the 50 million Americans, or more, starving in the US? Iranian people have lived a life of dignity and honor, and by God's grace their economic problems will be solved," the Leader underscored.
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.
After the unrests, thousands of Iranian people took to the streets across the country on consecutive days, including the capital Tehran, to show their solidarity with the Islamic Republic and condemn the recent scattered riots in some areas of the country.
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