The supreme leader of Iran, Ali Khamenei, has said the US and its Middle Eastern allies are to blame for the ongoing instability in Iraq and Lebanon. It comes after Lebanese PM Saad Hariri stepped down in response to protests.

Khamenei said that mass protests in the two nations, both of which have good relations with Tehran, have been influenced by the US, Israel and “some Western countries.” He claimed the unrest had been funded by “reactionary countries” in the region, a term used by Iranian authorities to describe Saudi Arabia and its Arab allies.

The Iranian leader called on protesters to demand action from their respective governments through legal means only, saying the alternative would result in chaos.

The people have justifiable demands, but they should know their demands can only be fulfilled within the legal structure and framework of their country. When the legal structure is disrupted in a country, no action can be carried out. — Khamenei.ir (@khamenei_ir) October 30, 2019

Speaking to a group of Iranian Army cadets during their graduation ceremony on Wednesday, Khamenei said enemies of a country can do the most damage to it by disrupting its security.

Both Iraq and Lebanon witnessed waves of public outrage lately, with people’s anger focused on various domestic issues. Saad Hariri on Tuesday stepped down as Lebanon’s prime minister, submitting to the demands of protesters, who accused his government of corruption and of leading Lebanon to an economic collapse.

Also on rt.com Lebanese PM Hariri announces resignation amid large-scale protests

The Iraqi government declared a curfew in capital Baghdad from Monday, responding to a wave of violent protests over the previous days. As many as 60 people have been reportedly killed amid the latest surge of discontent with Prime Minister Adel Abdul Mahdi’s government.

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