ISTANBUL: Turkey on Tuesday said was “concerned” by days-long protests thathave engulfed neighbouring Iran, warning against any escalation in theunrest.
“Turkey is concerned by news the protests in Iran… are spreading, causingcasualties and also the fact that some public buildings were damaged,” theforeign ministry said in a statement, adding “common sense should prevailto prevent any escalation.”Khamenei blames Iran’s enemies
Supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei said Iran’s “enemies” wereorchestrating a plot to infiltrate and target the regime as he broke hissilence on the days of unrest rocking the country.
“In the events of recent days, the enemies have united and are using alltheir means, money, weapons, policies and security services to createproblems for the Islamic regime,” Khamenei said in a statement shown onstate television.
“The enemy is always looking for an opportunity and any crevice toinfiltrate and strike the Iranian nation,” he added.
A total of 21 people have died in five days of unrest across the countrywhich began as protests over the economy before quickly turning against theIslamic regime as a whole.
“What can stop the enemy from acting is the spirit of courage, sacrificeand faith of the people,” he said, speaking to a gathering of war widowsand their families.450 people arrested over three days in Tehran
Some 450 people have been arrested in the Iranian capital over the pastthree days during unrest linked to protests, an official told local media.
“200 people were arrested on Saturday, 150 on Sunday and around 100 onMonday,” Ali-Asghar Naserbakht, a deputy in the Tehran city governor´soffice, told the reformist-linked ILNA news agency.