Iraq: Protesters attack Iran consulate in Karbala

Dozens of protestors in Iraq attacked the Iranian consulate in the Shia holy city of Karbala on Sunday night.

According to Aljazeera, the protestors scaled the concrete barries bringing down an Iranian flag and replaced it with Iraqi flags. No casualties have been reported,

The security forces tried to disperse the protestors who threw stones and burned tires around the building on a street corner in Karbala south of Baghdad.

The ongoing protests were a resumption of anti-government demonstrations that started in the first week of October against ongoing grievances over poor governance, high unemployment and inadequate public services prompted tens of thousands of Iraqis in the capital, Baghdad, and across the country's south to take to the streets to protest against the country's ruling elite and the political system established after the United States-led invasion in 2003.

But protesters have also targeted at neighbouring Iran and the powerful Iraqi Shia militias tied to it.

Iraqi Prime Minister Adel Abdul Mahdi, in a televised speech last month had said that the people would be free to exercise their right to demonstrate, but warned violence would not be tolerated.

The Prime Minister had stressed that a government collapse would drag Iraq into further turmoil. He reiterated the reforms announced by the government in the aftermath of the earlier protests, including a cabinet reshuffle, job opportunities for unemployed youth, and the establishment of a new court to try corrupt officials.

More than 250 people have been killed in the security crackdown following the protests.