Iran has accused the United States and Britain of stoking the unrest that has broken out among its Kurdish and Arab minorities. | I confess. It was me... |
Asefi said the United States is stuck in Iraq and is trying to divert attention from its plight by sowing unrest across the border. Under US protection, Iraq's Kurds have enjoyed autonomy and a booming economy, fuelled partly by trade with Iran. Iraq's ascendant Kurds engage in contacts - including lucrative exports of illegal liquor and other goods - with their kin across the border. On Thursday, Human Rights Watch said at least 17 people had been killed and hundreds more injured and arrested after anti-government protests broke out in Iran's Kurdish northwest. The New York-based rights group blamed the killings on the Iranian security forces, and said their indiscriminate shooting had also wounded hundreds of people. Asefi also said a spate of previous riots in Iran's western Khuzestan province was encouraged by the British presence in Iraq. In April, minority Arabs rioted against the government, leaving at least one protester dead and several injured. More than 200 people were arrested. Khuzestan abuts southern Iraq, where security is under the control of British soldiers in the US-led force.
