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Iranian Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei on Saturday blamed recent protests in Iran on foreign “enemies” seeking to overthrow the government in the Islamic Republic.

Also, he said, enemies were waging a “psychological war” against Iran by accusing it of piracy for seizing two Greek ships after the United States confiscated Iranian oil from a tanker.

"Today, the enemies’ most important hope for striking a blow at the country is based on popular protests,” Khamenei said, referring to week-long protests over the collapse of a building in southwestern Iran last month that killed 37 people.

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"But the enemies’ calculation is as wrong as many earlier ones," he said in a televised speech on the 33rd anniversary of the death of the leader of Iran's 1979 Islamic revolution, Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini.

Authorities have blamed the collapse of the 10-storey residential and commercial building in Abadan on local corruption and lax safety and say 13 people, including mayors and other officials, have so far been arrested for construction violations.

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Protesters, however, say the disaster stemmed from government negligence and entrenched graft and have chanted slogans against officials, including Khamenei.

Iran residents have reported disrupted internet services, an apparent attempt to stop the use of social media to organise rallies and disseminate videos. Authorities have warned people to follow just official media and eschew "rumours" from social media.

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The United States, which has imposed tough sanctions on Iran, confiscated the Iranian oil cargo on the Iranian-flagged Pegas that Greece impounded off its coast in April. Tehran retaliated by seizing two Greek ships on May 27.

But, Khamenei said, world media accuse Iran of piracy. “Who is the pirate here? You stole our oil. We took it back from you. Taking back a stolen good is no theft."

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Iranian Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei on Saturday blamed recent protests in Iran on foreign “enemies” seeking to overthrow the government in the Islamic Republic.

Iranian Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei on Saturday blamed recent protests in Iran on foreign “enemies” seeking to overthrow the government in the Islamic Republic. Also, he said, enemies were waging a “psychological war” against Iran by accusing it of piracy for seizing two Greek ships after the United States confiscated Iranian oil from a tanker. "Today, the enemies’ most important hope for striking a blow at the country is based on popular protests,” Khamenei said, referring to week-long protests over the collapse of a building in southwestern Iran last month that killed 37 people. Also read | Iran Foreign Minister Hossein Amir-Abdollahian to visit India next week "But the enemies’ calculation is as wrong as many earlier ones," he said in a televised speech on the 33rd anniversary of the death of the leader of Iran's 1979 Islamic revolution, Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini. Authorities have blamed the collapse of the 10-storey residential and commercial building in Abadan on local corruption and lax safety and say 13 people, including mayors and other officials, have so far been arrested for construction violations. Watch | Iran unveils underground drone base after recent strike Protesters, however, say the disaster stemmed from government negligence and entrenched graft and have chanted slogans against officials, including Khamenei. Iran residents have reported disrupted internet services, an apparent attempt to stop the use of social media to organise rallies and disseminate videos. Authorities have warned people to follow just official media and eschew "rumours" from social media. Also read | US to back IAEA resolution in spite of Iranian resistance The United States, which has imposed tough sanctions on Iran, confiscated the Iranian oil cargo on the Iranian-flagged Pegas that Greece impounded off its coast in April. Tehran retaliated by seizing two Greek ships on May 27. But, Khamenei said, world media accuse Iran of piracy. “Who is the pirate here? You stole our oil. We took it back from you. Taking back a stolen good is no theft." WATCH WION LIVE HERE You can now write for wionews.com and be a part of the community. Share your stories and opinions with us here.

'Enemies' triggering unrest in Iran to overthrow Islamic Republic: Ayatollah Ali Khamenei

The main representative of the Chinese government in Hong Kong said on Saturday people trying to turn the city into a 'pawn in geopolitics' were the 'real enemies' and Beijing was the true defender of the city's special status. 
 
Luo Huining, director of China's Hong Kong Liaison Office, told a forum that the financial hub, a former British colony handed over to China in 1997, remained one of the world's most competitive economies, the South China Morning Post reported. 
 
"Those trying to turn Hong Kong into a pawn in geopolitics, a tool in curbing China, as well as a bridgehead for infiltrating the mainland, are destroying the foundation of one country, two systems," Luo said, referring to the formula agreed when Britain handed the city back aimed at preserving its freedoms and role as a financial hub. 
 
"They are the real enemies of Hong Kong's prosperity and stability," he said, without identifying any people or groups. 
 
Luo said the ruling Communist Party was 'the creator, leader, implementer and defender of one country, two systems'. 
 
Despite such assurances, many Hong Kong residents have over recent years become worried about what they see as attempts by Beijing to curtail its freedoms. 
 
China denies that. 
 
The Liaison Office did not answer calls outside normal business hours to confirm the contents of the speech and it did not immediately respond to faxed questions. 
 
Unease among many Hong Kong residents grew in 2014 when pro-democracy protesters took to the streets to demand universal suffrage. Demonstrations snowballed again in 2019, sparked by opposition to judicial reform that many people saw as a threat to their way of life. 
 
Beijing imposed a sweeping national security law on the city in last June stifling the pro-democracy movement and raising new concerns about the city's prospects. 
 
The law's supporters say it has restored order and improved prospects for the city's economy, which Luo said was among the world's most competitive despite fears it would deteriorate under Chinese rule. 
 
(With inputs from agencies)

The main representative of the Chinese government in Hong Kong said on Saturday people trying to turn the city into a 'pawn in geopolitics' were the 'real enemies' and Beijing was the true defender of the city's special status.

The main representative of the Chinese government in Hong Kong said on Saturday people trying to turn the city into a 'pawn in geopolitics' were the 'real enemies' and Beijing was the true defender of the city's special status. Luo Huining, director of China's Hong Kong Liaison Office, told a forum that the financial hub, a former British colony handed over to China in 1997, remained one of the world's most competitive economies, the South China Morning Post reported. "Those trying to turn Hong Kong into a pawn in geopolitics, a tool in curbing China, as well as a bridgehead for infiltrating the mainland, are destroying the foundation of one country, two systems," Luo said, referring to the formula agreed when Britain handed the city back aimed at preserving its freedoms and role as a financial hub. "They are the real enemies of Hong Kong's prosperity and stability," he said, without identifying any people or groups. Luo said the ruling Communist Party was 'the creator, leader, implementer and defender of one country, two systems'. Despite such assurances, many Hong Kong residents have over recent years become worried about what they see as attempts by Beijing to curtail its freedoms. China denies that. The Liaison Office did not answer calls outside normal business hours to confirm the contents of the speech and it did not immediately respond to faxed questions. Unease among many Hong Kong residents grew in 2014 when pro-democracy protesters took to the streets to demand universal suffrage. Demonstrations snowballed again in 2019, sparked by opposition to judicial reform that many people saw as a threat to their way of life. Beijing imposed a sweeping national security law on the city in last June stifling the pro-democracy movement and raising new concerns about the city's prospects. The law's supporters say it has restored order and improved prospects for the city's economy, which Luo said was among the world's most competitive despite fears it would deteriorate under Chinese rule. (With inputs from agencies)

Beijing official says 'real enemies' want Hong Kong to be 'pawn in geopolitics'

Syrian President Bashar Assad vowed to defeat his enemies no matter how many battles he faces, saying on Friday, he feels empowered after being re-elected for a fourth seven-year term.&nbsp;

Assad was elected in a predictable landslide on Thursday. The presidential vote was described as illegitimate and a sham by the West and his opponents.&nbsp;

In a nine-minute televised victory speech, Assad said the public had challenged enemies of Syria, and those questioning the election's legitimacy by turning out in large numbers to vote for him, calling it a 'fighting spirit'.&nbsp;

"People choosing me to serve for the next constitutional period is a great honour for me," a bespectacled Assad said. "I am certain that with this fighting spirit, we will be able to defeat all our enemies no matter how many the battles are or how hard the road is."&nbsp;

Syria's parliament speaker, Hammoud Sabbagh, announced the final results late on Thursday, saying Assad garnered 95.1% of the vote. He said turnout stood at 78.6%, in an election that lasted for 17 hours on Wednesday with no independent monitors.&nbsp;

Syria observers said the official number of participants in the vote 'over 14 million' appeared to exceed the number of Syrians living in government-held areas.&nbsp;

In a country ravaged by a 10-year-old conflict, areas controlled by rebels or Kurdish-led troops did not hold the vote. At least 8 million people, mostly displaced, live in those areas in northwest and northeast Syria. Over 5 million refugees 'mostly living in neighbouring countries' have largely refrained from casting their ballots. Syria's pre-war population stood at 23 million.&nbsp;

Assad's victory comes as the country is still devastated by the conflict. Fighting has subsided but the war is not over. An economic crisis is worsening and over 80% of the population lives below the poverty line, while the local currency is in a free fall.&nbsp;

Assad, close associates and government officials are facing widening Western sanctions, added to already existing ones that have escalated as the war unfolded. European and US governments blame Assad and his aides for most of the war's atrocities.&nbsp;

For the third straight day, there were celebrations on Friday in Damascus in rallies that appeared to be organised. They featured demonstrators raising Syrian flags and pictures of Assad, chanting: 'God, Syria, and Bashar only’. They rallied on election day, after the results, and on Friday before Assad's speech.&nbsp;

The election is likely to offer little change to conditions in Syria. While Assad and his allies 'Russia and Iran' may be seeking a new seal of legitimacy for a president in office since 2000, his re-election is likely to deepen the rift with the West, driving him closer to Russian and Iranian backers as well as China. &nbsp;

(With inputs from agencies) &nbsp;

Syrian President Bashar Assad vowed to defeat his enemies no matter how many battles he faces, saying on Friday, he feels empowered after being re-elected for a fourth seven-year term.

Syrian President Bashar Assad vowed to defeat his enemies no matter how many battles he faces, saying on Friday, he feels empowered after being re-elected for a fourth seven-year term. Assad was elected in a predictable landslide on Thursday. The presidential vote was described as illegitimate and a sham by the West and his opponents. In a nine-minute televised victory speech, Assad said the public had challenged enemies of Syria, and those questioning the election's legitimacy by turning out in large numbers to vote for him, calling it a 'fighting spirit'. "People choosing me to serve for the next constitutional period is a great honour for me," a bespectacled Assad said. "I am certain that with this fighting spirit, we will be able to defeat all our enemies no matter how many the battles are or how hard the road is." Syria's parliament speaker, Hammoud Sabbagh, announced the final results late on Thursday, saying Assad garnered 95.1% of the vote. He said turnout stood at 78.6%, in an election that lasted for 17 hours on Wednesday with no independent monitors. Syria observers said the official number of participants in the vote 'over 14 million' appeared to exceed the number of Syrians living in government-held areas. In a country ravaged by a 10-year-old conflict, areas controlled by rebels or Kurdish-led troops did not hold the vote. At least 8 million people, mostly displaced, live in those areas in northwest and northeast Syria. Over 5 million refugees 'mostly living in neighbouring countries' have largely refrained from casting their ballots. Syria's pre-war population stood at 23 million. Assad's victory comes as the country is still devastated by the conflict. Fighting has subsided but the war is not over. An economic crisis is worsening and over 80% of the population lives below the poverty line, while the local currency is in a free fall. Assad, close associates and government officials are facing widening Western sanctions, added to already existing ones that have escalated as the war unfolded. European and US governments blame Assad and his aides for most of the war's atrocities. For the third straight day, there were celebrations on Friday in Damascus in rallies that appeared to be organised. They featured demonstrators raising Syrian flags and pictures of Assad, chanting: 'God, Syria, and Bashar only’. They rallied on election day, after the results, and on Friday before Assad's speech. The election is likely to offer little change to conditions in Syria. While Assad and his allies 'Russia and Iran' may be seeking a new seal of legitimacy for a president in office since 2000, his re-election is likely to deepen the rift with the West, driving him closer to Russian and Iranian backers as well as China. (With inputs from agencies)

Syria's Assad says reelection empowers him to defeat enemies 

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