Ayatollah Khamenei made the remarks on Monday to a gathering of citizens from Qom on the anniversary of the 1978 uprising in Qom against the then-U.S.-backed Pahlavi regime.

The uprising in Qom has the potential to restore Iran's historical identity, Ayatollah Khamenei pointed out.

He added that the movement in 1978 had the potential to free Iran from the oppressive Western culture and provide it independence, emphasizing that the Qom uprising represents the historical essence of Iran, Islam, and Islamic Iran.

The Pahlavi regime's reliance on the U.S., according to the Leader, was the primary cause of their irrational conduct of publishing a vile essay against the late Imam Khomeini.

In reference to the U.S.'s huge leverage on the Pahlavi regime, the Leader of the Islamic Revolution stated that the people's battle against this tyranny was truly a struggle against the Unite States.

Ayatollah Khamenei underscored that over the past 43 years, the U.S. has sought to undermine the Islamic system, with misinformation serving as their primary weapon of hostility against Iran.

Ayatollah Khamenei also said that the rioters in Iran had not really taken to the streets to voice displeasure with the economic hardships that Western sanctions had caused.

“It cannot be denied that our current economic and livelihood issues are severe. Can burning garbage cans, marching to the streets, and starting riots, however, address these issues? They aimed to destroy the strengths of the Iranian nation rather than address its flaws,” the Leader stressed.

Ayatollah Khamenei highlighted that while the United States and other European countries publicly supported the turmoil in one or another form, foreign foes were directly involved in the country's widespread riots.

The Leader went on to say that the media's hysteria against the Islamic Republic was intended to give the appearance that the rioters were angry about the country's economic woes and other deficiencies.

“They, however, desired the persistence of deficiencies. The goal was to eradicate the nation's advantages,” he remarked.

Ayatollah Khamenei gave specific instances to support his position, including attempts to jeopardize Iran's national security, halt scientific advancement through the closure of educational and scientific institutions, restrain the development of domestic industry, and impair expanding industries like tourism.

The enemies propagated their role in recent uprisings via online propaganda as well as through Western and regional news outlets, Ayatollah Khamenei pointed out.  

The Leader emphasized that the actions of the rioters were treasonous and urged relevant institutions and state authorities to take any act of treachery sternly.

After Mahsa Amini, a 22-year-old woman, died suddenly in a hospital on September 16, three days after fainting at a police station in Tehran, protests supported by foreign governments erupted in many cities. According to an investigation, Amini's illness triggered her death rather than reported police abuse.