Maj. Gen. Mohammad Ali Jafari, commander of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC), spoke to reporters Jan. 3 about the protests that have rocked Iran in the last week and hinted that a former government official may have been involved in initially starting the protests that quickly spiraled out of control.

When asked by reporters whether it was true that a “former official” was involved in sparking the protests that started in Mashhad, Jafari said, “This call [to protest] started with a website that is linked to an individual who has opened his mouth in opposition to the values and principles of the system.” Jafari continued, “Security officials are investigating this matter, and if they see interference by this former official, certainly he will be confronted by law enforcement.”

Jafari did not specify which former official he was speaking of, but speculation by some analysts leads to former President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, who has been in a constant public battle with Iran’s judiciary over corruption cases involving his former Cabinet members. In the last few months, Ahmadinejad has released numerous videos threatening action if the judiciary did not disclose all of its documents relating to him and his Cabinet.

Since the protests started, Ahmadinejad has been silent. The website that is affiliated with him, Dolat-e Bahar, however, did publish a letter reportedly by a group of Tehran University students demanding that President Hassan Rouhani resign and immediately hold elections.