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At least 21 people were killed and more than 1,000 arrested during two weeks of protests across 50 cities against soaring unemployment, rising living costs and leaked documents revealing the billions of dollars spent by the Islamic regime on foreign conflicts. Backing the US’ decision to convene a special UN Security Council session, Hadi Ghaemi said the EU, one of Iran’s strongest trading partners, had been “complicit” in allowing conditions to continue. “Unlike in 2009, these protests are being driven from outside the big cities like Tehran and Isfahan,” he said. “And more than 90 per cent of those arrested are under 25. “Many have recently graduated and are jobless.

“They're talking about their own lives. “They’re fed up with the monopoly of power which is in the hands of the few.” Recently leaked documents revealed that Iran has now loaned Syria £5bn since 2013. A further £6bn was given to the oppressive Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps, while it continues to pend heavily in Yemen, Lebanon and Gaza. In the meantime Iran, where 60 per cent of the 80 million population is under 30, is experiencing a 12.5 unemployment rate while soaring inflation has led to a 15 per cent drop in average incomes.

AFP/GETTY At least 21 people were killed and more than 1,000 arrested during the two weeks of protests in Iran

“We are desperate,“ said Tehrani Navid Hadidi, 26, last night. “I am a graduate but cannot find a job at all. “The cost of everything is rising - meat, eggs, even gas. “Our lives are being run by mullahs who are ignorant, uneducated and only care about themselves.” While the lifting of sanctions was supposed to bring in revenue, corruption has prevented it from benefiting ordinary Iranians.

“All deals by Europe are done with companies owned by the supreme leader, who has a huge conglomerate of businesses, co-owned by the Revolutionary Guard,“ added Ghaemi. “The people want a systematic change. “They are tired of mullahs feathering their own nests.” He said Brussels had miscalculated by not insisting on reform as a pre-condition for supporting the nuclear deal. “Europe is complicit.

GETTY Hadi Ghaemi is an Iran analyst and human rights expert

“The EU’s has been quiet since President Rouhani came to power four years ago because he is a reformer and they did not want to undermine him. “Countries like Italy and Germany continued to trade. “But the events of the last two weeks have shown how wrong this is. “Rouhani knowns Iran needs to be opened up, but his hands are tied. “The EU should have acted four years ago to insist that human rights were a critical component to the Nuclear deal.

GETTY Soaring unemployment and rising living costs are among the causes that brought people to protest