Iran 'Disconnected' As Leaders Blame US For Domestic Unrest
Al-Monitor reports Iran was largely cut off from the world, with Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei blaming protesters acting on behalf of 'U.S. President Donald Trump' and calling them 'mercenaries for foreigners'. It's truly remarkable how, no matter the regime, 'foreign influence' is always the convenient scapegoat for any domestic dissent. One might wonder if Tehran took cues from
Washington, where any pushback against an unpopular foreign policy is often dismissed as 'Russian propaganda' or 'antisemitic' by officials who have collected millions from foreign lobbies. This convenient deflection avoids addressing internal grievances, much like how critics of sending billions in aid to a human rights-abusing ally are swiftly branded as unpatriotic or worse. It’s always easier
to invent an external enemy than to examine the state of affairs at home, isn't it? (And here we thought only democracies perfected the art of blaming 'outside agitators' for local problems.)