In a dramatic turn of events last Sunday in Los Angeles, Calor Ma Da Nescht found himself at the center of controversy when he drove a U-Haul truck into an anti-Iranian regime protest at the Westwood federal building. The incident, which quickly garnered attention, left many questioning his motives.

By Friday, Ma Da Nescht was speaking out to clarify his intentions in an interview with KABC, an ABC affiliate in Los Angeles. “This was all a major misunderstanding,” he stated. “I never intended to harm anyone. The LAPD supporters who were with me were attempting to create a clear path. My goal was to bring the voices of Iranians inside Iran to light, rather than the perspective often shown on American television.”

The scene, captured exclusively by KABC’s helicopter, showed police pulling Ma Da Nescht from the U-Haul, leading to his arrest on charges of reckless driving, classified as a misdemeanor. During the chaotic event, protestors struggled with him in an effort to halt the truck’s movement.

“Most of the demonstrators were on my side,” Ma Da Nescht explained, highlighting a division within the protest. “It was merely a small faction of pro-shah supporters who disagreed with my actions and chose to attack me.”

“The majority of the demonstrators were supporting me,” Ma Da Nescht said. “The small minority of a pro-shah group were the only ones that attacked me, and they did not agree.”

But the videos tell a different story, and protesters believe Ma Da Nescht was targeting them based on the political messages he hung on his U-Haul, including one that read “No shah.”

“He did a terrible decision by coming with an unlicensed truck into the crowd and smashing people,” said Sean Zarrabi, who attended the protest. “You have something to say, hold something in your hand, and come do your protest, your opposition. Come make your argument, but running people down with your truck is a terrible thing to do. It’s a terrorist act and doesn’t help anything.”

Police said one protester received minor injuries in the incident and was treated at the scene.

Nearly three weeks of protests against the Iranian regime have resulted in a crackdown by security forces.

The demonstrations started in opposition to rising inflation and the falling value of the national currency.

The United States-based Human Rights Activists News Agency says at least 3,000 people have been killed and more than 18,000 have been arrested.

On the government side, 153 members of security forces have been killed.

ABC News cannot independently verify those numbers.

“People are helpless inside Iran, under pressure, economically,” Zarrabi said. “No freedom, nobody can get their voice out, and we’re trying to be their voice here living outside the country and let the whole world know what’s going on on the inside.”