TEHRAN, Iran — The strength of protests shaking Iran was unclear on Thursday after a week of unrest that killed at least 21 people, with fewer reports of demonstrations as government supporters again took to the streets in several cities and towns. Meanwhile, the Trump administration acknowledged the speed and breadth of the protests took both it and the Iranian government by surprise. The past week’s protests have been the largest in Iran since the disputed 2009 presidential election, which ended in bloodshed. Meanwhile, a top Russian diplomat warned the United States not to meddle in Iran’s affairs and suggested that Washington wants to use the unrest to undermine the Iran nuclear agreement. Late Wednesday, senior Trump administration officials acknowledged their surprise that the protests took hold so quickly.

Source: National Post January 04, 2018 06:27 UTC