Foreign backed sedition in Iran part of a regional plot

TABNAK, Jan. 20 - In a phone call with Nouri al-Maliki, Leader’s adviser Ali Akbar Velayati said that the recent foreign-backed sedition in Iran was part of a broader regional conspiracy.

News ID: 7117

Date: 20 January 2026 - 12:33

Ali Akbar Velayati, Adviser to the Leader of the Islamic Revolution on International Affairs, held a telephone conversation with former Iraqi prime minister Nouri al-Maliki, during which they discussed key regional and international developments, including relations between Iran and Iraq.

During the conversation, Velayati congratulated the great Iraqi nation on the recent parliamentary elections and praised the strong public participation. He said that this victory, achieved under the management and leadership of figures such as al-Maliki, has strengthened Iraq’s position at both regional and international levels.

Referring to recent developments in Iran, Velayati told al-Maliki that he was certainly aware of the recent events and the clear positions taken by the Leader of the Islamic Revolution. He noted that the Leader described the defeat of the United States by the Iranian nation in this incident as a continuation of Washington’s previous failures, as well as those of the Zionist regime, including during the 12-day war, Mehr reported.

He added that the enemy launched this plot with extensive preparations to pursue broader objectives, but the Iranian nation neutralized it. However, he stressed that this was not sufficient and that the United States must be held accountable for its actions.

Velayati further cited the Leader of the Islamic Revolution as saying that, by divine grace, just as the Iranian nation broke the backbone of sedition, it must also break the backbone of the sedition-makers.

Velayati emphasized that the plot was thwarted, but the struggle against the Zionist regime and the United States will continue with greater seriousness. He said the incident was not directed solely against Iran, but constituted a conspiracy against the entire region, adding that Iran, Iraq, Hezbollah in Lebanon, Palestine, and Yemen’s Ansarullah will stand against all arrogant powers, particularly the Zionists.

Velayati also expressed support for the determination of the Iraqi government and people to expel US and NATO forces from Iraq and to put an end to the occupation of the country by these forces. He described the preservation of Iraq’s territorial integrity, along with the welfare and progress of its people, as key regional priorities for the Islamic Republic of Iran.

For his part, Nouri al-Maliki thanked Velayati for his views and said that, God willing, no sedition or conspiracy will remain either in Iraq or in Iran, stressing that any incident in Iran would have a direct impact on Iraq and the entire region.