Khamenei Backs Gasoline Price Hike Decision

Iran's Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, on Sunday, backed the decision of gasoline price hike that sparked protests across the country, blaming opponents of the Islamic Republic and foreign enemies for "acts of sabotage", state television reported.

"No doubt that some people are worried by this decision," Khamenei said. "But acts of sabotage and arson are carried out by rioters, not our people,” Iran's Supreme Leader added.

On the other hand, Iran's parliament holds a closed-door session to discuss the decision of raising fuel prices and demonstrations in the country, Iranian media announced.

The state-run Iran Students News Agency (ISNA) reported that the Iranian parliament discusses, on Sunday, the issuance of a resolution to cancel the Iranian government decision to raise fuel prices, which caused a violent wave of demonstrations in the country.

Noteworthy, demonstrators took to streets at several cities in Iran on Friday evening, the official IRNA news agency reported on Saturday. The demonstrations came the day after the government announced an abruptly increase in fuel prices.

“Massive demonstrations took place in the central city of Sirjan,” IRNA added. “People attacked a fuel depot in the city and tried to burn it, but police intervened to stop them.”

The news agency also pointed out to these protests that took place in the cities of Iran including Mashhad (north), Birjand (east) and Bandar Abbas (south), as well as in Ghashsarat, Ahvaz, Abadan, Khorramshahr and Mahshahr (southwest).