Iran decries US call for UNSC meeting on Iranian unrests

Iran's Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif criticised the UN Security Council's emergency meeting on Iran's recent unrests and termed it a "foreign policy blunder" for Washington, Tasnim news agency reported on Saturday.

"The UNSC rebuffed the US naked attempt to hijack its mandate. Majority emphasized the need to fully implement the JCPOA (Iran's nuclear deal) and to refrain from interfering in internal affairs of others. Another foreign policy blunder for the (US President Donald) Trump administration," Zarif tweeted.

On Friday, the UNSC held an emergency meeting at the request of the US to discuss the recent protests on the economic condition in Iran.

According to some reports, at least 20 people, including civilians and security forces, were killed in the riots and hundreds were arrested.

Iran has blamed the US, Britain and Saudi Arabia for inciting the violence in recent protests.

Iran's Ambassador to the UN Gholam Ali Khoshroo on Friday condemned the UNSC's debate on the recent protests in Iran.

"This is nothing but another desperate attempt by the US administration to escape forward, as it has lost every shred of moral, political and legal authority and credibility in the eyes of the whole world," Khoshroo said addressing the session on Friday.

--IANS

ahm/vd