Iran's supreme leader accuses US, Israel of being behind the nationwide protests |

Iran's ultraconservative Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei threw his full support behind the security forces on Monday, accusing the protesters of "rioting." He also said that the US and Israel were behind the protests rather than "ordinary Iranians." He claimed to be "heartbroken" over the death of 22-year-old Mahsa Amini — the incident that initially sparked the nationwide protests — while also condemning the "insecurity" in the streets. "This rioting was planned," he told a cadre of police students in Tehran. "These riots and insecurities were designed by America and the Zionist regime, and their employees."