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Also, he said, enemies were waging a “psychological war” against
Iran by accusing it of piracy for seizing two Greek ships after
the United States confiscated Iranian oil from a tanker.
"Today, the enemies’ most important hope for striking a blow at
the country is based on popular protests,” Khamenei said,
referring to week-long protests over the collapse of a building
in southwestern Iran last month that killed 37 people.
"But the enemies’ calculation is as wrong as many earlier ones,"
he said in a televised speech on the 33rd anniversary of the
death of the leader of Iran's 1979 Islamic revolution, Ayatollah
Ruhollah Khomeini.
Authorities have blamed the collapse of the 10-storey
residential and commercial building in Abadan on local
corruption and lax safety and say 13 people, including mayors
and other officials, have so far been arrested for construction
violations.
Protesters, however, say the disaster stemmed from government
negligence and entrenched graft and have chanted slogans against
officials, including Khamenei.
Iran residents have reported disrupted internet services, an
apparent attempt to stop the use of social media to organise
rallies and disseminate videos. Authorities have warned people
to follow just official media and eschew "rumours" from social
media.
The United States, which has imposed tough sanctions on Iran,
confiscated the Iranian oil cargo on the Iranian-flagged Pegas
that Greece impounded off its coast in April. Tehran retaliated
by seizing two Greek ships on May 27.
But, Khamenei said, world media accuse Iran of piracy. “Who is
the pirate here? You stole our oil. We took it back from you.
Taking back a stolen good is no theft."
(by Kirsten Donovan and Frances Kerry)
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