03 January 2018•Update: 03 January 2018
By Ahmet Sait Akcay
ANKARA
Turkey said Wednesday it will reject any unconstitutional attempt to overthrow the Iranian government, as protests in the Islamic Republic entered its seventh day.
Deputy Prime Minister and Government Spokesman Bekir Bozdag said in a tweet: "Turkey is against any move to come to power through unconstitutional and unlawful ways or by using force or external interventions."
He called on the Iranian government and the people to be cautious against provocations and to secure peace.
Adding that Turkey is monitoring events in its neighboring country closely, he said: "Peace and stability in Iran is important for the Iranian people and our region."
He said any chaos or conflict in Iran will lead to unrest in the region.
Thousands of Iranians hit the streets on Thursday in northeastern cities of Mashhad and Kashmar to protest rising commodity prices and perceived government mismanagement, according to local media reports. The demonstrations have since spread, including to the capital Tehran.
At least 23 people have been killed and more than 500 reportedly detained since the demonstrations began, including 200 in Tehran.
Countries, including the U.S., U.K. and Canada, have expressed concern over the detentions, while the Iranian government maintains that the protests are being stirred by foreign elements.
On Tuesday, Iran's Supreme Leader Ayatollah Sayyid Ali Khamenei accused enemies of the Islamic Republic for unrest in the country.
“Enemies of Iran, allied with security organs, want to cause trouble [for Iran] by using some means, such as money, arms, and politics,” Khamenei said.
