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A6 WORLD NEWS
Friday 14 OctOber 2022

Iran president accuses U.S. of ‘destabilization’ amid protests

By JON GAMBRELL Associ- the Islamic Republic’s strict
ated Press dress code.
DUBAI, United Arab Emir- It remains unclear how
ates (AP) — Iran’s president many people have been
on Thursday accused the killed or arrested so far in
U.S. of conducting a “failed the protests.
policy of destabilization” An Oslo-based group, Iran
targeting his nation, as Ira- Human Rights, estimated
nian protesters continued Wednesday that at least
to call for the downfall of its 201 people have been
rulers despite a violent and killed. This includes an esti-
wide-ranging crackdown. mated 90 people killed by
President Ebrahim Raisi security forces in the east-
has repeatedly dismissed ern Iranian city of Zahe-
the unrest sparked by the dan amid demonstrations
death of a 22-year-old against a police officer ac-
woman in policy custody cused of rape in a separate
as a purported Western case. Iranian authorities
plot, without providing evi- have described the Zahe-
dence. His latest remarks dan violence as involving
came after protests erupt- unnamed separatists, with-
ed in cities across Iran on out providing details or evi-
Wednesday, with videos dence. In Washington, U.S.
showing security forces ap- In this picture released by the official website of the office of the Iranian supreme leader, Supreme State Department spokes-
parently firing toward dem- Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei speaks in a meeting with members of the Expediency Council, in man Ned Price said Amer-
onstrators. Tehran, Iran, Wednesday, Oct. 12, 2022. ica wasn’t focusing on pos-
The protests, in which girls Associated Press sible negotiations with Iran
and women of all ages rest. sanctions, Washington and remains difficult amid the over its tattered nuclear
have removed their man- “The Iranian nation has in- its allies have resorted to internet restrictions and the deal amid the demonstra-
datory headscarves, or validated the American the failed policy of desta- arrests of at least 40 journal- tions.
hijabs, have become military option and, as they bilization,” he said, accord- ists in the country, accord- Those talks collapsed in
one of the greatest chal- themselves have admit- ing to a transcript of his re- ing to the Committee to the months before Amini’s
lenges to Iran’s theocracy ted, brought the policy of marks. Protect Journalists. Sept. 16 death.
since the country’s 2009 sanctions and maximum Raisi did not otherwise ad- Iran’s government insists “Right now our focus...is
Green Movement. Raisi, pressure a humiliating fail- dress the demonstrations, 22-year-old Mahsa Amini on the remarkable brav-
a hard-line protégé of Su- ure,” Raisi said Thursday to which took place across at was not mistreated, but ery and courage that the
preme Leader Ayatollah a conference in Astana, least 19 cities on Wednes- her family says her body Iranian people are exhibit-
Ali Khamenei, has likened Kazakhstan. day. showed bruises and other ing through their peace-
the protesters to “flies” and “Now, following America’s Gathering information signs of beating after she ful demonstrations,” Price
sought to downplay the un- failure in militarization and about the demonstrations was detained for violating said.q

Lebanon’s president approves historic Israel sea border deal

By KAREEM CHEHAYEB maritime border deal with gas fields. on Tuesday said that both non needs through extract-
Associated Press Israel. The agreement to demar- countries agreed to “for- ing oil and gas,” Aoun said.
BEIRUT (AP) — Lebanon’s Lebanon and Israel both cate the maritime border mally” end their maritime “Which would add stability,
President Michel Aoun said claim around 860 square ki- comes after months of talks border dispute, and that security, and development
Thursday that the cash- lometers (330 square miles) mediated by senior U.S. of- their leaders both told him that our nation Lebanon
strapped country has ap- of the Mediterranean Sea ficial Amos Hochstein, and they were ready to take needs.”
proved a U.S.-mediated that are home to offshore would mark a major break- next steps. Israel meanwhile also hopes
through in relations be- Israel’s Cabinet on Wednes- to exploit gas reserves and
tween the two countries, day voted in favor of the hopes the deal will reduce
which have formally been U.S.-brokered deal by a the risk of war with Leba-
at war since Israel’s cre- “large majority” of its minis- non’s Iran-backed militant
ation in 1948. ters. The agreement will be group Hezbollah.
“This indirect agreement forwarded to the Knesset, The agreement stipulates
responds to Lebanese de- or parliament, for a two- that the disputed waters
mands and maintains all week review period before would be divided along a
our rights,” Aoun said in a a final Cabinet vote. line straddling the “Qana”
televised speech. Lebanon hopes that de- natural gas field. Gas pro-
Aoun made the announce- marcating maritime bor- duction would be based
ment hours after meet- ders will pave the way for on the Lebanese side, but
ing with caretaker Prime gas exploration to help lift Israel would be compen-
Minister Najib Mikati and it out of its crippling eco- sated for gas extracted
Speaker Nabih Berri, who nomic crisis. from its side of the line.
In this photo released by Lebanon’s official government had received copies of “I hope the end of these Lebanon has been working
photographer Dalati Nohra, Lebanese president Michel Aoun
addresses a speech on the maritime border agreement Hochstein’s latest iteration negotiations is the prom- with French energy giant
between Lebanon and Israel in the presidential palace, in of the agreement earlier ising start to placing the Total on preparations for
Baabda, east of Beirut, Lebanon, Thursday, Oct. 13, 2022. this week. cornerstone for the eco- exploring the field.q
Associated Press U.S. President Joe Biden nomic growth that Leba-