The Times of Israel reports: “Iran accused Israel on Monday of trying to undermine its national unity after Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu expressed support the previous day for the mass protests that have swept the Islamic Republic over the past week and which show no sign of slowing down.

‘The Zionist regime is determined to exploit the slightest opportunity to sow division and undermine our national unity, and we must remain vigilant,’ said Iranian foreign ministry spokesman Esmail Baqaei at a weekly press conference.

He accused Israeli and US leaders of ‘incitement to violence.’

At least 20 protesters have been killed in clashes with Iranian security forces, according to human rights groups, since market vendors in Tehran first took to the streets last Sunday, December 28, to demonstrate against the economic crisis.

The protests have expanded rapidly since then, reaching over 220 locations in 26 of Iran’s 31 provinces, the US-based Human Rights Activists News Agency reported early Monday…”