"US, West behind Iran riots"
Iran’s Foreign Minister has accused the United States and some of its western allies of being behind in the recent riots in the country. Hossein Amir-Abdollahian, during an official visit to Serbia, said Washington and its allies have always sought to create turmoil in Iran. He said the recent riots were fomented through foreign interference and represented a hybrid war against the Iranian people. He added that one of the goals of Washington, through the riots, was to get more concessions from Tehran in the negotiations aimed at reviving the 2015 deal. Amir-Abdollahian reiterated that a deal on the JCPOA would be acceptable to Tehran only if it was beneficial to the Iranian nation and durable. The riots in Iran began after the death of young woman Mahsa Amini in September. She collapsed at a police station in Tehran and later died at a hospital.
US climate plan
The European commission chief says the EU must take action to offset distortions made by Washington’s new climate and tax laws; a move that could put European goods at a disadvantage on American soil. In a speech in the Belgian city of Bruges, Von der Leyen said the EU should adjust its rules to make it easier for public investments in the transition to climate-friendly technologies. Her remarks are in response to Washington’s Inflation Reduction Act signed into law by President Joe Biden in August. The act is designed to promote US manufactured goods and accelerate the transition to a low-carbon economy. Some European governments are alarmed by the laws that allow over 400 billion dollars of subsidies for US manufactured goods. They say the act is a threat to their industries, especially in the energy and auto sectors.
Morocco protest
Thousands of people have filled the streets of Morocco’s capital in protest at high cost of living, amid growing social discontent in the North African country. It is estimated that around 3,000 people from across Morocco converged on central Rabat for the rally staged by left-wing political and trade union organizations. This is the largest rally in recent months in Morocco which is grappling with inflation mostly blamed on surging food prices. In the year to October, consumer prices rose by over 7%. But the economic woes are not the only concerns of Moroccans. During the rally, they decried repression of freedom of expression as well as corruption in the country. They also expressed anger over the kingdom’s normalization of ties with Israel in December 2020.