The Gold Coast Bulletin

Foreign powers to blame for Iran unrest: Khamenei

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IRAN’S supreme leader has blamed protests on “enemies of Iran” – including America – saying they are meddling in the country’s internal affairs.

The remarks by Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, pictured, about the demonstrat­ions, the largest in Iran since its disputed 2009 presidenti­al election, came after a bloody night during which protesters tried to storm a police station.

Iran’s Government has blamed the US, Saudi Arabia and Britain for the protests.

The US Government has called for the UN Security Council and UN Human Rights Council to hold emergency meetings on Iran, with the US ambassador to the United Nations saying the world body “must speak” on the issue.

The unrest in Iran has killed at least 21 people in the past six days. The protests began on December 28 in Mashhad over the weak economy and a jump in food prices.

Hundreds have been arrested, and a prominent judge warned that some could face the death penalty.

Speaking to black-chadorclad women who were relatives of veterans and war dead, Mr Khamenei, 78, warned of an enemy “waiting for an opportunit­y, for a crack through which it can infiltrate”.

He avoided identifyin­g any foreign countries, although he promised to elaborate in the coming days.

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