Following on from our news2day Explainer on the Iranian protests back in January, Cathal Dowd is here with an update on the ongoing conflict in Iran and the wider region.
Press play on the image above to watch the news2day Explainer now.
Tensions between Iran and the United States have been rising in recent times. Earlier this year, we explained how a widespread protest by the Iranian people against its government, which were harshly put down by the authorities.
US President Donald Trump said at the time that the United States could intervene through force. On Saturday, along with Israel, the US launched airstrikes on Iran's capital city, Tehran. President Trump and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu say they want the current government in Iran to fall and be replaced. They also say they want to stop Iran building nuclear weapons. However, some experts say that Iran is further away from creating these weapons than the US and Israel claim.
Since the beginning of the attacks, several hundred people have died, including the head of the Iranian government, Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, who had ruled since 1989. Iran has responded with attacks on Israel and on US military bases all around the Middle East.
Taoiseach Micheál Martin has said He is deeply concerned by the developments in Iran. He urged everyone involved to exercise restraint to avoid a larger conflict.
The Protests
Iran is a large country located in the Middle East with both European and Asian neighbours. It is home to 93 million people. Protests began in the capital city, Tehran, in January. The Iranian people were unhappy with the high cost of living, as things like food and fuel had become very expensive.
They see these as issues being caused by the government. Thousands took to the streets to demonstrate against their rule. Human rights groups say that thousands of people have been killed and many more arrested.
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