Iran’s Guard says wave of unrest has ended

Iran’s Revolutionary Guard said yesterday that the nation had ended the wave of unrest linked to anti-government protests that erupted last month.

In a statement on its website, the force blamed the unrest on the United States, Israel and Saudi Arabia, as well as an exiled opposition group known as the Mujahedeen-e-khalq, and supporters of the monarchy that was overthrown in the 1979 Islamic Revolution.

Price hikes sparked protests in a number of cities and towns late last month, and at least 21 people were killed in scattered clashes. The protests, which vented anger at high unemployment and official corruption, were the largest seen in Iran since the disputed 2009 presidential election, and some demonstrators called for the overthrow of the government. The Revolutionary Guard is a powerful paramilitary force loyal to the country’s supreme leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei. Hundreds of people have been detained since the protests began.