Addressing a Saturday ceremony in Tehran, General Hatami underlined that the current economic war waged against Iran as well as the brutal sanctions imposed on the country are part of the animosity of the US and its allies towards the Islamic Republic over the past four decades.
The Defence Minister indirectly suggested that Saudi Arabia has confessed it has spent $137 billion to slide Iran into chaos and support terrorist groups in Iraq and Syria, a report by Tasnim News Agency said.
Meanwhile, the US and its allies have invested over $500b to create tension in the region, he added.
He then described the creation of regional terrorism and sliding states like Iraq and Syria into chaos as other plots hatched by the enemies against Iran and said the adversaries are after institutionalizing insecurity and tension in the region.
The Defence Minister also said by creating terrorist groups in the region, the US and its allies have been seeking to tarnish the image of Islam as a religion of peace and added the enemy is seeking to pit regional states against each other to secure the Zionist regime.
Iran has been the scene of sporadic protests over the past few days as Iranians brace for a return of US sanctions.
Hundreds have rallied in cities across the country, including Tehran, Isfahan, Shiraz, and Karaj, according to videos posted on social media, to protest against high inflation caused in part by a plunging Iranian rial over fears of the re-imposition of crippling sanctions on August 7.
The US decided to re-impose sanctions on Iran upon its withdrawal from the Iran nuclear deal, accusing Tehran of posing a security threat, and has told other countries they must halt all imports of Iranian oil as of November 4 or face US financial measures.
Back in January, some cities of Iran witnessed rallies in protest at price hikes and economic woes. Police arrested a number of demonstrators who were trying to damage public property in the gatherings.
Iranian officials believe the protests are partly sponsored and orchestrated by foreign elements and spy services, including that of the US, Israel, and Saudi Arabia.
According to Article 27 of the Iranian Constitution, “public gatherings and marches are allowed so long as the participants do not carry arms and are not in violation of the fundamental principles of Islam.”
