Iran’s President Claims Victory over Protests

Iranian President Hassan Rouhani claims that anti-government protests he blamed on external enemies have been brought under control. “The Iranian people have again passed a historic test and shown that they will not let enemies benefit from the situation, even though they [citizens] might have complaints about the country’s management,” Rouhani said in comments broadcast Wednesday by the state-owned IRIB news outlet. The protests began last Friday with surprise word that gasoline subsidies had been cut and prices at the pump were now 50% higher. Amnesty International says that over 100 people have been killed in the unrest, a figure denied by Tehran, which says that over 1,000 people have been arrested. The government has curtailed much of the country’s internet services in an effort to prevent protesters from communicating via social media. Wednesday saw rallies by people described as supporters of the government. The gatherings received wide coverage by domestic media and featured placards saying “Down with USA” and “Down with Israel.”