Tehran: Iran's supreme leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, spoke publicly on Monday in response to the country's biggest protests, breaking weeks of silence to condemn the riots and calling on the US and Israel to organize demonstrations.

Also Read: Iranian students clash with riot police

The death of 22-year-old Mahsa Amini in the custody of Iran's ethics police, which sparked nationwide protests, was described by Khamenei as a "tragic incident" that "broke our hearts." However, he strongly condemned the protests as a foreign conspiracy to destabilize Iran, echoing previous statements by officials.

"This riot was planned," he explained to a group of police students in Tehran. "I state unequivocally that these riots and insecurities were planned by America, the Zionist regime, and their employees."

"Such acts are not normal, unnatural," he said of the protests.

Also Read: India deploy fighter jets after information of bomb scare on Iranian flight

His remarks come at a time when nationwide protests after Amini's death entered their third week, despite efforts by the government to crack down.

Officials have repeatedly accused foreign countries and exiled opposition groups of stirring up unrest despite no evidence.

Also Read: Iran police fire on protesters, leaving 36 dead, and an IRGC spymaster is killed

The protests over Amini's death have plunged Iran into a deep well of grievances, including rising prices, high unemployment, social sanctions and political repression. Despite internet access being restricted and social media apps blocked, demonstrations continue in Tehran and other provinces.