Protests not only economic

Protests that shook Iran were not just aimed at the economy, President Hassan Rouhani said yesterday, suggesting the real targets were powerful conservatives opposed to his plans to expand individual freedoms at home and promote detente abroad.

The pragmatic cleric, who defeated anti-Western hardliners to win re-election last year, also called for the lifting of curbs on social media used by anti-government protesters in the most sustained challenge to hardline authorities since 2009.

"It would be a misrepresentation (of events) and also an insult to Iranian people to say they only had economic demands," Rouhani was quoted as saying by Tasnim news agency.

"People had economic, political and social demands."

Iran's influential Revolutionary Guards said on Sunday the security forces had put an end to a week of unrest fomented by what it called foreign enemies.

The head of the CIA on Sunday denied his agency had any role in fomenting the recent anti-government protests in Iran but predicted the violent unrest "is not behind us."

Mike Pompeo blamed what he called Tehran's "backward-looking" regime for turning a deaf ear to the voices of the people.

The protests, which began over economic hardships suffered by the young and working class, spread to more than 80 cities and towns and has resulted in 22 deaths and more than 1,000 arrests, according to Iranian officials.

An Iranian lawmaker confirmed yesterday the death of one detainee in prison.

Echoing some of his campaign rhetoric, Rouhani said people should be allowed to criticise all Iranian officials, with no exception.

Rouhani also dismissed calls from hardline clerics who had asked the government to permanently block access social media and messaging apps.

Iranian Vice-President Masoumeh Ebtekar tweeted that Rouhani has insisted that all detained students should be released.

Meanwhile, Iran yesterday warned the world to prepare for the possible withdrawal of the United States from the landmark nuclear deal agreed in 2015.