03 January,2018 08:36 AM IST | Tehran | Agencies
As country's supreme leader pins blame on enemies, other officials allege US, UK and Saudi hand in protests
An image grab taken from a handout video reportedly shows a group of men pushing traffic barriers in a street in Tehran on December 30. pics/afp
Iran's supreme leader blamed the country's "enemies" yesterday for days of unrest that have seen 21 killed and hundreds arrested. "The enemies have united and are using all their means, money, weapons, policies and security services to create problems for the Islamic regime," Ayatollah Ali Khamenei said in a speech carried on state television. Iranian officials have said online accounts in the United States, Britain and Saudi Arabia are fomenting protests.
Ayatollah Ali Khamenei
A fifth night of unrest saw six protesters killed during an attack on a police station in Qahderijan. "The enemy is always looking for an opportunity and any crevice to infiltrate and strike the Iranian nation," Khamenei said. Ali Shamkhani, secretary of the Supreme National Security Council, described the unrest as a "proxy war against the Iranian people". "Hashtags and messages about the situation in Iran come from the United States, Britain and Saudi Arabia," he said.
21 No. of people who have died since the protests began
100 No. of people detained around Isfahan on Monday
