Protests in Iran over US nuclear deal exit

Protests have taken place in Iran over the US withdrawal from the nuclear deal as Israel calls on Syria's President Bashar Assad to expel Iranian forces there.

Tens of thousands of Iranians have marched in Tehran and other major cities to protest against Washington's withdrawal from the 2015 nuclear accord between Tehran and six world powers and the US re-imposition of sanctions on Iran.

Protesters congregated around the University of Tehran on Friday to denounce President Donald Trump and his policies, trampling and burning US flags.

Some demonstrators called on Iranian President Hassan Rouhani to abandon the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA), as the agreement is formally known.

During Friday prayers, senior cleric Ahmad Khatami gave a sermon describing European governments as just as untrustworthy as the United States.

He criticised Rouhani's decision to reach out to the other Western signatories of the pact - the United Kingdom, France and Germany - in a bid to preserve the JCPOA.

Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif is to hold consultations with Russia and China, the other signatories, before meeting next Tuesday in Brussels with his French, German and British counterparts.

Meanwhile, In the escalating confrontation between Israel and Iran, Israel's defence minister called on Syria's President Bashar Assad on Friday to rid his country of Iranian forces based there - warning their presence will only cause more trouble to the already war-ravaged country.

Avigdor Lieberman's comments were followed by threats from an Iranian cleric that Tel Aviv or Haifa would be in danger if Israel did "anything foolish."

The war of words followed the worst face-off to date between Israel and Iran. Israel fired dozens of missiles at what it said were Iranian positions in Syria on Thursday, hours after it said its forces in the occupied Golan Heights were targeted by Iranian rockets.

The brief but intense confrontation raised fears the region may be sliding into an unprecedented direct conflict between the two archenemies.


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Source: AAP


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