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Iran sanctions 'could trigger Tehran Spring'

Iran is being hit so hard by sanctions it could trigger an Arab Spring-style revolution, Israel's foreign minister has said.

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Iran is being hit so hard by sanctions it could trigger an Arab Spring-style revolution, Israel's foreign minister has said.

Less than 48 hours after Benjamin Netanyahu warned the international community of the urgent need to stop Iran's nuclear development, Avigdor Lieberman has argued the case for inaction with equal conviction.

Basing his analysis on government intelligence and the reports of Russian businessmen who have visited the Islamic Republic, Lieberman told Ha'aretz newspaper that the impact of international economic sanctions has stoked popular unrest in Iran to such a degree that by summer next year, there will be an uprising comparable to that which unseated Hosni Mubarak in Egypt.

"In my view, there's going to be an Iranian-style Tahrir revolution," Lieberman said. "If you held a referendum - the nuclear programme or quality of life - 70 to 80 per cent would choose the second option. It's not that they're opposed to the nuclear programme, but they aren't willing to pay these crazy prices," he added.

On Sunday, the Iranian rial fell by five per cent, trading at 28,400 per dollar, compared with 26,920 on Thursday. Iran's currency has halved in valued since June 2011.

In New York last week Lieberman urged UN delegates to support any Iranian popular uprising.

Referring to the wave of failed demonstrations in Tehran in 2009 that called for the overthrow of the Ahmadinejad's regime and failed, Lieberman warned: "Last time, the West didn't expect it and was confused. This time, it could lead to the fall of the regime. Israel must not interfere."

 

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