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IRGC head blames foreign influence for protest 'sedition'

In the aftermath of massive protests that saw hundreds killed in Iran, the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps is still casting blame for the violence outward and warning Western and "hostile regional countries" against provoking unrest in the nation.
Iranian Revolutionary Guards commander Major General Hossein Salami speaks at the podium during an inaugural ceremony unveiling the new murals painted on the walls of the former US embassy in the capital Tehran on November 2, 2019. (Photo by ATTA KENARE / AFP) (Photo by ATTA KENARE/AFP via Getty Images)

The head of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps, Hossein Salami, issued a warning to the United States about provoking unrest in Iran.

Iran was rocked by protests Nov. 16 after President Hassan Rouhani announced fuel subsidy cuts, leading to sharp increases in the price of gasoline. According to Amnesty International, over 200 people were killed and thousands were arrested in the ensuing crackdown. While some authorities acknowledged that the rollout of the fuel subsidy cuts was mishandled, many continued to blame Western and regional countries for promoting unrest in the country. 

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