Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei has spoken publicly about the protests in Iran for the first time after weeks of silence.

The protests arose in furious response to the police murder of 22-year-old Iranian woman Mahsa Amini, taken by the country’s extremist “morality police” for breaking religious dress code. It appears she was beaten to death while in police custody.

Khamenei condemned the protests, which have turned violent as state police crack down on them. He blamed the United States and Israel for “planning” the protests. Khamenei said he was “deeply heartbroken” by Amini’s death and called it a “tragic incident.” He added, “This rioting was planned. These riots and insecurities were designed by America and the Zionist regime, and their employees.”

The unrest has continued into its third week, and on Monday Iran closed its top technology university after hours-long standoffs between students and police that made it the most recent visible flashpoint as young people fight back against what they consider an oppressive extremist religious regime.

US President Joe Biden says he remains “gravely concerned about reports of the intensifying violent crackdown on peaceful protesters in Iran, including students and women, who are demanding their equal rights and basic human dignity.”