"We're against a military operation against Iran. We believe the authentic problems of Iran should be resolved by themselves," Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan told journalists in Istanbul.

He said that Iran's economic grievances were "misunderstood as an uprising against" the Islamic republic.

The protests, which rights groups say have left at least 3,428 people dead, have drawn thousands onto the streets across Iran in opposition to a government they say has little tolerance for dissent.

A senior Iranian official told journalists there had been no new "riots" since Monday, distinguishing them from earlier cost-of-living protests. "Every society can expect protests, but we will not tolerate violence," he said.

The Iranian government was already battling an economic crisis after years of sanctions and recovering from the June war against Israel.

Fidan called for dialogue on the crisis.

"We absolutely want problems to be resolved through dialogue," he said.

"Hopefully, the United States and Iran will resolve this issue among themselves -- whether through mediators, other actors, or direct dialogue. We are closely following these developments."

*This story was edited by Ahram Online.

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