Iran's Deputy Judiciary Chief for International Affairs and Secretary of the Human Rights Headquarters has described the December 2025 events as armed and economic terrorism, blaming Western sanctions for the crisis.
According to Mehr News Agency, Naser Siraj said that foreign-backed armed groups "martyred more than 3,000 civilians" and targeted the country's economic and public infrastructure. He accused the West of applying double standards in defining human rights and said unilateral economic sanctions were the main cause of the unrest.
Armed attacks and economic terrorism
Siraj argued that Western media distorted the truth by calling the December events "peaceful economic protests," when in fact there was violence and armed terrorism. Attacks on banks, ATMs, police stations, fire stations, and energy and telecom infrastructure, he said, were a clear case of "economic terrorism" against the Iranian people.
According to Siraj, intensified Western sanctions — by restricting medicine and medical equipment and creating economic insecurity — fueled public discontent and allowed armed groups to exploit the situation. He called these measures "collective punishment" and a violation of citizens' right to life and health.
The judiciary official also pointed to the silence of international human rights groups over attacks on vital infrastructure and civilians, calling it an example of human rights being "weaponized for geopolitical ends."
Siraj added that direct U.S. military threats and weapons supplies to protesters violate international law and amount to "interference in Iran's internal affairs." These actions could be considered crimes against humanity and should be prosecuted internationally, he said.
Managing social media in emergencies
Siraj noted that armed groups used foreign social media platforms to coordinate attacks and spread fake news. He defended the temporary restriction of some messaging apps as necessary for national sovereignty and citizen security.
He clarified that only a small group of armed rioters involved in killing and destruction received severe punishments after fair public trials, adding that this was done to protect society, not to violate human rights.
Foreign accountability and need for independent justice
Siraj announced that Iran is fully documenting the crimes of armed groups and their foreign backers and is pursuing legal action through international bodies. However, he said that because Western powers dominate international institutions, there is a need for an independent, justice-based mechanism involving Non-Aligned Movement and Shanghai Cooperation Organization member states.