On state television on Sunday, the country’s supreme leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, described those who engaged in violent demonstrations as “thugs” backed by Iran’s foreign enemies. Update: #Iran has now been offline for 52 hours following a government-imposed internet shutdown targeting widespread public protests. pic.twitter.com/63vglH2Cia — Farnaz Fassihi (@farnazfassihi) November 18, 2019Iran’s leadership isn’t just facing a backlash within its own borders. Especially in Iraq’s majority-Shiite south, there’s been a vehement rejection of the Iranian hand in Iraqi affairs. For a regime under pressure on the world stage, the anger next door ought to make the discontent at home all the more troubling.

Source: Washington Post November 19, 2019 06:00 UTC