Iran on Monday blasted what it called Britain's "non-constructive role", a day after the Islamic Republic announced the arrest of a UK-linked "network" involved in the three-month protests sparked by Mahsa Amini's death, AFP reported.
On Sunday, Iranian media reported that the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps in the country's south had arrested seven people, including dual nationals, who had operated "under the direct guidance of elements from Britain".
Asked about their arrest during a Monday press conference, foreign ministry spokesman Nasser Kanani said, according to AFP, "Some countries, especially the one you mentioned, had a non-constructive role in relation to the recent developments in Iran".
"Their role was quite provocative in inciting extremism and riots," Kanani said of the foreign nations.
The group, described in Iranian media as an "organized network", had been "leading subversive conspiracies, especially during the recent riots", the report quoted a Guards statement as saying.
The seven arrested in Kerman province "have been involved in planning, leading and producing content as well as field actions in the recent riots", it added.
Some of them are "dual nationals who were trying to escape from the country", the statement said without elaborating.
Iran has blamed its international foes, such as the US and Israel, for the ongoing protests that have gripped the country since the September 16 death of 22-year-old Amini after she was arrested by the morality police.
Last week, Iran’s Intelligence Ministry claimed it identified and arrested members of four teams of operatives linked to the Israeli Mossad.
The Iranians claimed Israel had taken advantage of the recent riots in Iran “to conduct several hybrid terrorist operations by directing operative teams”.
Iran's judiciary said last month that 40 foreigners, including dual nationals, had been arrested in the unrest.
Kanani said Monday that "during the recent riots, several citizens of European countries have been arrested with varying degrees of involvement in the riots".
"Consular and political information has been given to their respective countries," he added.
"The role of the citizens of a certain number of countries, especially European and western European countries... is quite clear and proved."