TEHRAN – Iran’s supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei on Sunday voicedsupport for a decision to impose petrol price hikes and rationing thatsparked protests across the Islamic republic.
“I am not an expert and there are different opinions but I had said that ifthe heads of the three branches make a decision I will support it,” he saidin a speech aired on state television.
Protests flared across Iran after the price hike agreed by the High Councilof Economic Coordination made up of the president, parliament speaker andjudiciary chief was announced at midnight on Friday.
“The heads of the branches made a decision with the backing of expertopinion and naturally it must be implemented,” said Khamenei.
“Some people would definitely get upset over this decision… but damagingand setting fire (to property) is not something (normal) people would do,it is hooligans,” he added.
One civilian has been killed and others injured during the unrest, withmotorists in cities blocking highways and some in the protests damagingpublic property and fuel stations.
Khamenei said that for the past two days “all the centres of the world’swickedness against us have cheered” the unrest.
These included the Pahlavi royal family ousted in the 1979 IslamicRevolution and the People’s Mujahedeen of Iran (MEK) group, which Iranconsiders a “terrorist” cult.
“What I am asking is that no one help these criminals,” he said, calling onpeople to distance themselves from those stoking the unrest. -APP/AFP