Iraq and Iran are getting a lot worse - Nov 29

[dan_s]

Iraqi forces kill 45 protesters after Iranian consulate torched

BAGHDAD/NAJAF, Iraq (Reuters) - Iraqi security forces shot dead at least 45 protesters on Thursday after demonstrators stormed and torched an Iranian consulate overnight, in what could mark a turning point in the uprising against the Tehran-backed authorities.

Read: https://www.reuters.com/article/us-iraq ... SKBN1Y20WX

On Friday, Iraq's highest Shiite authority, Grand Ayatollah Ali Sistani, warned of potential civil war in the country if steps aren't taken to ease the unrest. Sistani, an 89-year-old cleric never seen in public, has backed the protests and repeatedly called for authorities to use restraint in dealing with them.

In a Friday prayers sermon read by his representative in the city of Najaf, Sistani denounced the violence against protesters and called on Iraq's parliament to "reconsider its choices" in supporting the current government of Prime Minister Adel Abdel Mahdi. He urged lawmakers to expedite the approval of a package of electoral laws in preparation for new elections.

Read: https://www.cbsnews.com/amp/news/iraq-p ... 019-11-29/

Protests also getting worse in Iran: https://amp.dw.com/en/opinion-irans-blo ... a-51450365