Iran’s Revolutionary Guard says unrest fomented by foreign enemies defeated

DUBAI: Iran’s Revolutionary Guard said yesterday the country’s people and security forces had defeated unrest fomented by foreign enemies, as parliament and key security officials met to discuss the boldest challenge to the clerical establishment since 2009.

“Iran’s revolutionary people along with tens of thousands of Basij forces, police and the Intelligence Ministry have broken down the chain (of unrest) created ... by the United States, Britain, the Zionist regime (Israel), Saudi Arabia, the hypocrites (Mujahideen) and monarchists,” the Guard said in a statement on its Sepahnews website.

Parliament met behind closed doors on Sunday to discuss the week of unrest with the ministers of interior and intelligence, Iran’s police chief and the deputy commander of the elite Revolutionary Guard, state television said.

Meanwhile, thousands of government supporters staged rallies for a fifth day in a backlash against the biggest anti-government protests since widespread unrest in 2009 over alleged election fraud.

State television showed live pictures of rallies in several cities, including central Shahr-e Kord where hundreds, many clutching umbrellas, had gathered despite heavy snowfall.

‘Death to America’, ‘Death to Israel’, ‘Death to Britain’ ‘Death to seditionists’, the demonstrators chanted.

More than a week of unrest has seen 22 people die and more than 1,000 arrested, according to Iranian officials.

Unrest spread to more than 80 cities and rural towns as thousands of young and workingclass Iranians voiced anger at graft, unemployment and a deepening gap between rich and poor.

Residents contacted by Reuters in various cities have said the protests had subsided in recent days, after the government intensified a crackdown by dispatching Revolutionary Guard forces to several provinces.

Late on Saturday, videos on social media showed a heavy police presence in cities, including Khorramabad in southwestern Iran where on Wednesday evening social media posts showed protesters throwing stones at riot police.

The protests have drawn largely young people and workers as well as members of the educated middle-class that formed the backbone of a pro-reform revolt almost a decade ago.

A police spokesman said most of those arrested were ‘duped’ into joining the unrest and had been freed on bail, the state news agency IRNA reported.

“But, the leaders of the unrest are held by the judiciary in prison.” — Reuters