Hawzah News Agency (Tehran, Iran) - Ayatollah Seyyed Ali Khamenei says a "triangle" of enemies, including the United States, one of the rich Persian Gulf states and the anti-Iran MKO terror organization, has been plotting for the past few months to foment chaos and violence in Iran.

Ayatollah Khamenei made the remarks on Tuesday in a meeting with a large group of people from Qom, in commemoration of the 40th anniversary of the January 9, 1978 uprising in the holy city against the despotic monarchical rulers of the time.

"The plot has been hatched by Americans and Zionists. They have been working on it for several months, planning to begin from small towns and then move on towards the center. The cash comes from one of the filthy rich Persian Gulf littoral states. Obviously, such projects need money, but the Americans won't be willing to spend anything as long as they have these [rich allies]," the Leader said. The third side of the triangle, Ayatollah Khamenei added, were the "murderous" MKO elements, who served as their lackeys on the ground.

Ayatollah Khamenei described the recent wave of violence that hit some areas of the country as "fireworks and vicious acts," praising the Iranian people's timely and appropriate reaction to the unrest.

"These are not normal incidents. [These incidents] occur nowhere in the world," the Leader said, in an apparent reference to the people's massive show of support for the establishment.

"It is not a matter of one or two or five years. [It is about] a battle between the nation and those hostile to the nation; a battle between Iran and those hostile to Iran; a battle between Islam and those hostile to Islam," he stated.