Ali Khamenei says anti-regime protestors want to undermine Iran's strength & stop tourism

Iran's supreme leader Ali Khamenei has claimed that recent protests in the country are not a result of opposition to its management and economic weaknesses, but rather an attempt to undermine the country's strengths and halt production and tourism, as per a report by Iran International English. "Unlike what foreign propaganda says, the recent protests aren’t aimed at opposing the country’s management and economic weaknesses, but on the contrary they seek to undermine our strengths and stop production and tourism in Iran," Ali Khamenei said. 

His statement comes amid widespread condemnation of the execution of two young male civilians, Mohammad Mehdi Karami and Seyed Mohammad Hosseini, on Saturday. Karami and Hosseini were hanged for their alleged involvement in anti-regime protests that took place following the death of 22-year-old Kurdish-Iranian woman, Mahsa Amini, in September. The executions bring the total number of protesters killed since the protests began to four.

According to state-affiliated Fars News, Karami and Hosseini were convicted for the death of Seyed Ruhollah Ajamian, a member of the Basij paramilitary force, who was killed on November 3 in the city of Karaj. Karami's lawyer, Mohammad Hossein Aghasi, revealed that Karami was denied the opportunity to speak with his family prior to his execution and had gone on a hunger strike on Wednesday after officials prevented Aghasi from representing him. As many as 41 other protesters have received death sentences, according to Iranian officials and media, though the actual number is believed to be higher. Both the UN Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights and the European Union have appealed to Iran to stop issuing death sentences to civilians.

Iranian hardlines are protesting against France

Amid the ongoing turmoil, Iranian hardliners burned France's flag outside the French embassy in Tehran on Sunday. The demonstration was in response to cartoons published by the French satirical magazine Charlie Hebdo that mock Iran's ruling clerics. The caricatures align the magazine with the demands of anti-government protesters calling for the downfall of the Islamic Republic and challenging the hardline establishment. The demonstrations outside the French embassy follow previous attempts by Iran's rulers to mobilize their supporters in counter-demonstrations.

(With agency inputs)