TEHRAN – Ali Shamkhani, secretary of the Supreme National Security Council (SNSC), has said that anti-revolutionary elements and the Mujahedin-e Khalq Organization (MKO or MEK) are behind the unrest over gasoline price hike in Iran, an MP said on Sunday.

“Mr. Shamkhani pointed to documents which show that in the past two days, organized groups of anti-revolutionaries attacked police forces. They carried fire weapons and caused harms to banks and public properties,” Ahmad Amirabadi stated.

Shamkhani attended a meeting of the Majlis (parliament) on Sunday. The meeting was closed to cameras.

The government decided on Friday to cut petrol subsidies to fund support for the poor. Petrol in Iran still remains among the cheapest in the world.

According to a statement published by National Iranian Oil Products Distribution Company, the price for a liter of regular gasoline was increased to 15,000 rials (nearly 35 cents at the official rate of 42,000 rials per dollar) from 10,000 rials and the monthly ration for each passenger car was set at 60 liters. Additional purchases would cost 30,000 rials per liter.

Leader of the Islamic Revolution Ayatollah Ali Khamenei on Sunday expressed support for the decision.

Speaking to his theology students, Ayatollah Khamenei said he has previously announced that since he is not an expert on the issue, he would support any decision made by heads of the three branches of government and the experts.

The Leader voiced sympathy with people who feel the decision would harm them economically, but condemned any act of sabotage that has been carried out by some hooligans and supported by Iran’s enemies.

NA/PA