Iran's supreme leader calls hijab protests 'planned rioting' by US, Israel

Amid raging protests over hijab, Iran supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei broke his weeks of silence to condemn what he called “planned rioting.” 

He further accused the US and Israel of planning the protests claiming a foreign plot to destabilise Iran.

His comments  have emerged even as nationwide protests sparked by 21-year-old Amini's death entered a third week despite the government's efforts to crack down.

Iran-owned media reported that the death toll from violent clashes between protesters and the security officers could be as high as 41, contrary to 52 claimed by Rights groups