Protests were part of a US-backed plot: Khamenei

Iran's supreme leader on Wednesday claimed without evidence that recent protests across the Islamic Republic over government-set gasoline prices rising were part of a "conspiracy" involving the US, as authorities begin to acknowledge the scale of the demonstrations.

Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei made the comment while addressing members of the Revolutionary Guard's all-volunteer Basij force, which help put down the demonstrations.

Meanwhile, one lawmaker was quoted as saying authorities arrested more than7,000 people over the protests while a security official claimed demonstrators attempted to take over Iranian state television.

Iran's government still hasn't offered any statistics on injuries, arrests or deaths in the protests and security crackdown that followed government-set gasoline prices rising November 15. Amnesty International says it believes the violence killed at least 143 people, something Iran disputes without offering any evidence to support its claims.

---AP