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| Version 4 | Version 5 |
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| Iran protests: Supreme leader Khamenei blames 'enemies' | Iran protests: Supreme leader Khamenei blames 'enemies' |
| (35 minutes later) | |
| Iran's supreme leader has accused the country's enemies of stirring days of protests that have claimed at least 22 lives. | Iran's supreme leader has accused the country's enemies of stirring days of protests that have claimed at least 22 lives. |
| Ayatollah Ali Khamenei was speaking for the first time since people protesting at Iran's economic troubles clashed with security forces last Thursday. | Ayatollah Ali Khamenei was speaking for the first time since people protesting at Iran's economic troubles clashed with security forces last Thursday. |
| Nine people, including a child, died overnight in violence in central Iran, state media say. | Nine people, including a child, died overnight in violence in central Iran, state media say. |
| The protests are the largest since the disputed 2009 presidential election. | The protests are the largest since the disputed 2009 presidential election. |
| "In recent days, enemies of Iran used different tools including cash, weapons, politics and intelligence services to create troubles for the Islamic Republic," Iran's supreme leader was quoted as saying in a post on his official website. | "In recent days, enemies of Iran used different tools including cash, weapons, politics and intelligence services to create troubles for the Islamic Republic," Iran's supreme leader was quoted as saying in a post on his official website. |
| He said he would address the nation about the recent events "when the time was right". | He said he would address the nation about the recent events "when the time was right". |
| The protests began last Thursday in the city of Mashhad, initially against price rises and corruption, but have since spread amid wider anti-government sentiment. | The protests began last Thursday in the city of Mashhad, initially against price rises and corruption, but have since spread amid wider anti-government sentiment. |
| Some 450 people have been arrested in Tehran Province in recent days, the deputy governor-general of the province is quoted as saying. | Some 450 people have been arrested in Tehran Province in recent days, the deputy governor-general of the province is quoted as saying. |
| In the 2009 protests, millions disputed the election victory. Those demonstrations were brutally suppressed, with at least 30 people killed and thousands arrested. | |
| How are Iran's leaders responding? | How are Iran's leaders responding? |
| Analysts say the supreme leader's reference to "enemies" is a swipe at Israel, the US and Saudi Arabia. | Analysts say the supreme leader's reference to "enemies" is a swipe at Israel, the US and Saudi Arabia. |
| President Hassan Rouhani has criticised US President Donald Trump for repeatedly tweeting support for the protesters. | President Hassan Rouhani has criticised US President Donald Trump for repeatedly tweeting support for the protesters. |
| In another tweet on Tuesday, Mr Trump said the people were "finally acting against the brutal and corrupt Iranian regime". | |
| Overall, Mr Rouhani's words have been measured. He has called the protests an "opportunity, not a threat", recognised economic discontent and said people had a right to take the streets. However, he has also vowed to crack down on "lawbreakers". | |
| Where is the latest violence happening? | Where is the latest violence happening? |
| How has the outside world reacted? | How has the outside world reacted? |
| President Trump has posted a string of tweets against Iran's leaders. | |
| Iran's foreign ministry responded by saying he should focus on "homeless and hungry people" in his own country, according to AFP news agency. | |
| The EU has called on Iran to guarantee its citizens' right to peaceful protest, saying it has been in touch with Iranian authorities and is monitoring the situation. | The EU has called on Iran to guarantee its citizens' right to peaceful protest, saying it has been in touch with Iranian authorities and is monitoring the situation. |
| Turkey expressed concern at the unrest spreading and warned against any escalation. | Turkey expressed concern at the unrest spreading and warned against any escalation. |
| Where will the protests lead? | Where will the protests lead? |
| By Jeremy Bowen, BBC Middle East editor | By Jeremy Bowen, BBC Middle East editor |
| The demonstrations started last week in Mashhad, Iran's second biggest city, and since then have spread. | The demonstrations started last week in Mashhad, Iran's second biggest city, and since then have spread. |
| To begin with they were about the economy, unemployment and inflation. Some protesters have asked why Iran is spending a lot of money on regional conflicts when people are suffering at home. | To begin with they were about the economy, unemployment and inflation. Some protesters have asked why Iran is spending a lot of money on regional conflicts when people are suffering at home. |
| But quickly demonstrations moved on to politics, criticising leading figures in the Islamic Republic and some even calling for a return to the monarchy that was overthrown by revolution in 1979. | But quickly demonstrations moved on to politics, criticising leading figures in the Islamic Republic and some even calling for a return to the monarchy that was overthrown by revolution in 1979. |
| This is not a new revolution but the protests are the biggest in Iran since the disputed presidential election in 2009. This time, though, it seems to be a movement without national leaders. | This is not a new revolution but the protests are the biggest in Iran since the disputed presidential election in 2009. This time, though, it seems to be a movement without national leaders. |
| President Rouhani has tried to play it all down. Reformists and conservatives have been blaming each other and foreigners. But the protests show how discontented Iranians are with their lives, increasing poverty, and repression by the regime. | President Rouhani has tried to play it all down. Reformists and conservatives have been blaming each other and foreigners. But the protests show how discontented Iranians are with their lives, increasing poverty, and repression by the regime. |