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Demonstrators rally in support of Iranian antigovernment protests in Stockholm, Sweden, over the weekend.
Demonstrators rally in support of Iranian antigovernment protests in Stockholm, Sweden, over the weekend.

Iran Live Blog: Foreign Minister Warns Foreigners Not To Foment Protests

Final Summary

-- A top Iranian judiciary official has said antigovernment protest leaders should be handed the harshest possible sentences, while President Hassan Rohani suggested demonstrations were driven by opposition to his ultraconservative rivals in the ruling elite.

-- Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif has also weighed in on the matter, warning other countries not to foment insecurity in his country, echoing the official position of the Iranian government that the protests were fomented by the intelligence services of foreign states-- including the United States, Israel, and Saudi Arabia.

-- The United States has rejected Iran’s claims that Washington was behind the protests, which have led to the deaths of 22 people and the arrest of more than 1,700 others.

-- German Foreign Minister Sigmar Gabriel has said the European Union will invite Zarif for talks about the widespread antigovernment protests that have roiled the country since December 2

-- Lawmaker Tayebeh Siavashi told the semiofficial ILNA news agency on January 8 that a 22-year-old man who was arrested by the police had died in prison. He said that he was informed by authorities that the detainee "committed suicide in jail."

-- Various Iranian officials have said that hundreds of detainees have been released, some after agreeing to sign a pledge not to "reoffend," the semiofficial ISNA news agency reported.

-- In other news, a senior Iranian education official says Iran intends to ban English-language classes from primary schools amid warnings from Islamic leaders that the language has led to a "cultural invasion" from the West.

Live blog by Golnaz Esfandiari with Farangis Najibullah and Frud Bezhan

*NOTE: Times are stated according to local time in Tehran (GMT +3.5)

Telegram Outage

The government has blocked popular messaging app Telegram since protests began last week. Protesters have used the app to organize their demonstrations and share footage.

Families of some of the protesters arrested in the past week have gathered outside Tehran's Evin prison for the fifth consecutive day, the BBC reports.

AP: What do Iran protests mean for President Rohani?

Rohani’s supporters have alleged that the initial protests in Mashhad on December 28 were orchestrated by his political rivals.

Iran’s First Vice President Eshaq Jahangiri said hard-liners “think by doing this they harm the government [but] it will be others who ride the wave," he told the state media.

Ellie Geranmayeh, Iran analyst for the European Council on Foreign Relations, says the allegations could present an opportunity for Rohani.

"I'm sure Rouhani's government will get a degree of political capital out of this. If the rumors are true and the conservatives started this, then people will see them as inept, and ask how they can possibly manage the country," she said.

Abbas Abdi, a Tehran-based analyst close to the reformists, says even if Rohani emerges politically unharmed, he still faces an angry populace and few easy solutions.

"This crisis has created a new opportunity for changes, which is necessary because otherwise the consequences could be serious. But it's not like Rouhani can wave a magic wand and it will all change."

Iranian nationals protest outside the Iranian consulate in the German city of Hamburg.

Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif reacts to Trump's tweets.

In a series of tweets over the past week, Trump has pledged support for the protesters, promising to help Iranians "take back" their government and saying he respected “the people of Iran."

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