In Iran, there has been some serious riots since Friday, which continued to escalate over the weekend. Two people were reportedly killed. The government in Washington has condemned the "deadly force" against demonstrators. The United States supported the Iranian people in its peaceful protest against the regime, the White House said.
Tehran immediately condemned the partisanship: The support of the US government for the demonstrators was an interference in Iranian affairs. The US is backing the "rioters," the Iranian Foreign Ministry said.
The protests in several Iranian cities had been triggered by a cut in fuel consumption and fuel prices by at least 50 percent. With the additional revenue President Hassan Rohani wants to finance new aid for 60 million people in need.
In recent days, a police officer and a civilian killed in clashes. However, the situation is confusing as the government has largely blocked access to the Internet since Saturday afternoon.
"The United States is at your side"
The Iranian government was backed by the spiritual leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei. He defended the rationing and increase in price of gasoline. "The political leadership of the country has made a technical decision that must logically be implemented," said Chamenei.
US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo had already addressed the protesters via Twitter on Saturday: "The United States is at your side." A White House spokeswoman then reiterated that the "United States supported the Iranian people in their peaceful protests against the regime."
A spokesman for the Iranian Foreign Ministry called Pompeo's tweet hypocritical. The people of Iran knew that such statements were not "honest compassion". The actions of a "group of rioters and saboteurs" supported by people like Pompeo have "nothing in common with the behavior of the bright Iranian people."
President Rohani is considered rather moderate within the Iranian leadership and is being severely attacked by hardliners. According to media reports, they want to order the president because of the disturbances in Parliament and force a vote of no confidence against him.
