Iranian minister says ethnic Azeris 'pose no threat'

"There is currently no problem with Iran's security and ethnic groups are not a source of threat for the country," Gholam-Hussein Mohseni-Ejei told a news conference on Monday, AssA-Irada repots.

There have been a series of massive protests in Iran's northern provinces since state-owned newspaper Iran published a cartoon that insulted ethnic Azeris. Scores are said to have died or received severe injuries during the dispersal of the demonstrations.
Mohseni-Ejei said the developments in northern Iran have been orchestrated by the United States.

"Fortunately, local residents in these provinces acted promptly and did not allow foreign elements to take advantage of the situation," the minister said.

He said some individuals in Iran cooperated with the U.S. to carry out illegal activities, citing as an example the arrested philosopher and scholar Ramin Jahanbayli, who worked in concert with this country to stage a change of power.

"Jahanbayli planned to assist the United States in staging a velvet revolution in Iran," Mohseni-Ejei said.

/AzerNEWS/