"The Kremlin is confident that mass protests in Iran have peaked, and Tehran's leadership has managed to squash domestic resistance to its rule, according to one of Russia's pre-eminent experts on Iran. Russia's embassy in Tehran apparently informed Moscow that the protests have died down and that the Kremlin can breathe a sigh of relief, Nikita Smagin told Al Jazeera. The protests over economic hardships erupted on December 28, spreading to hundreds of cities and towns throughout the sanctions-hit nation of more than 90 million."
"On Tuesday, the Russian Ministry of Foreign Affairs condemned the illegal Western pressure and lambasted the unnamed external forces that strive to destabilise and destroy the Islamic Republic. The notorious methods of colour revolutions' are being used, when specifically trained and armed provocateurs turn peaceful protests into cruel and senseless lawlessness, pogroms, the killing of law enforcement officers and average citizens, including children, Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Mariya Zakharova claimed."
Moscow assesses that Iran's mass protests have peaked and that Tehran's leadership has suppressed domestic resistance. Russia's embassy in Tehran reportedly informed Moscow that demonstrations have died down, relieving Kremlin concerns. The protests began on December 28 over economic hardships and spread to hundreds of cities across a sanctions-hit nation of more than 90 million. Iranian law enforcement crushed many protests, possibly violently. The Russian Foreign Ministry condemned alleged Western pressure, accused unnamed external forces of employing 'colour revolution' methods, and warned that foreign provocateurs escalate peaceful protests into violence. US statements urging Iranians to seize institutions increased diplomatic tensions.
Read at www.aljazeera.com
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