Tens of thousands of pro-government demonstrators have taken to the streets after calls by Tehran officials to show support.
Iranian state television showed images of demonstrators thronging Tehran toward Enghelab Square in the capital. It aired chants from the crowd who shouted “Death to America!” and “Death to Israel!” Others cried out: “Death to the enemies of God!”
Live footage showed large crowds attending a funeral procession for security forces killed in Shahrud city in Semnan province, and pro-government demonstrations in cities such as Kerman, Zahedan and Birjand held “in condemnation of recent terrorist events”.
Broadcasters called the demonstrations an “Iranian uprising against American-Zionist terrorism”.
Earlier, Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi accused the US and Israel of instigating a “terrorist war” in the country, adding “enemies have miscalculated their moves”.
Israel and the United States heavily bombed Iranian nuclear and other sites in a 12-day war last June.
Despite US-Iran communication channels, vast differences persist
Iran has been willing to engage in negotiations and diplomacy – a position it held even during the 12-day war after being attacked by Israel, a Tehran-based analyst says.
In such negotiations, Iran and the United States would discuss long-standing issues of nuclear weapons and sanctions, but there would still be differences, said Abas Islani, a senior research fellow at the Center for Middle East Strategic Studies.
“The United States wants something more than the nuclear issue. They have been focusing on the ballistic missile capability, which seems somehow unacceptable for Tehran following the June war with Israel and the United States,” Islani told Al Jazeera.
“So [it’s] very difficult to go back to … [the] common point that they had.”
The Iranian government’s position that Mossad agents are behind the protests further complicates the situation – including for the demonstrators on the streets protesting dire economic woes, he added.
“That’s what makes it difficult … for the protesters to be heard… [It] also creates chaos and uncertainty in the country.”