Iran has issued a strong response to comments made by former Maldivian President Mohamed Nasheed regarding the ongoing situation in the country.

In a post on X, Nasheed said Iranians were taking to the streets demanding dignity and relief from what he described as a crushing cost of living and decades of repression. He called on Muslims and the wider international community to stand with the Iranian people, adding that they should not protect the regime.

The remarks drew a sharp reaction from the official X account of the Iranian Embassy in Colombo, which is also accredited to the Maldives. In a lengthy reply, the embassy accused Nasheed of ignoring what it described as a comprehensive military assault against Iran during a 12-day war in June 2025.

The statement alleged that Iranian cities, civilians and urban infrastructure were targeted by what it referred to as the “Zionist regime,” with direct support from the United States. It claimed that more than one thousand men, women and children were killed during the attacks.

According to the embassy, the situation inside Iran has since been further destabilised by what it described as urban terrorist acts carried out by elements affiliated with Israel’s intelligence agency, Mossad. The statement alleged that mosques were set on fire, hospitals destroyed, and civilians attacked in streets, marketplaces and public transport areas.

The embassy questioned Nasheed’s position on the issue, asking which side he stood on amid what it described as attacks on innocent civilians and public infrastructure.

The exchange comes amid heightened regional tensions and renewed international scrutiny of developments inside Iran, with differing narratives emerging over the causes and nature of the unrest.