Hezbollah says Iran controlling protests in 'good way'

By Wassim Samih Seifeddine, Zeynep Hilal Karyagdi

BEIRUT (AA) - Hezbollah Secretary-General Hassan Nasrallah said Wednesday that the ongoing protests in Iran were not rooted in political issues and were being handled by the regime in a good way.

"The crisis in Iran is due to economic reasons, not political," Nasrallah said in an interview with Lebanese al-Mayadeen channel.

The Lebanon-based group leader noted the incident erupted following some banks announced bankruptcy and added that some political circles were involved and then the protests gained a political dimension.

He argued that the incidents were being managed in a good way as the regime was handling it quietly, with the avoidance of anxiety.

On Dec. 27, thousands of Iranians took part in mass rallies in support of the government in the cities of Abadan, Ahwaz, Kermanshah, Gorgan and Khorramabad.

Since the demonstrations first erupted six days ago, at least 23 people have been killed -- including a police officer -- while hundreds more have reportedly been detained.

Earlier Wednesday, thousands of Iranians took part in pro-government rallies in the cities of Abadan, Ahwaz, Kermanshah, Gorgan and Khorramabad.

On the same day, Mohammad Ali Jafari, the head of Iran’s elite Revolutionary Guard Corps, announced that the days-long wave of street demonstrations in Iran has effectively ended.

"Today is the day the sedition ended," Jafari said in comments broadcast on Iranian state television.