Iranian minister deplores US meddling in Muslim states

Iranian Minister of Culture and Islamic Guidance Seyed Mohammad Hosseini lashed out at Washington for its meddling in the internal affairs of regional and Muslim states. Addressing the 7th Conference of Culture Ministers of Muslim Countries in Algeria's capital city of Algiers, Hosseini said that Washington is trying to derail the Islamic Awakening movements by interfering in the internal affairs of Muslim countries. The Iranian minister further underlined the key role of culture in preserving the interests of Muslim nations and societies. Since the start of 2011, the region has witnessed a growing wave of popular protests resulted from the people's growing awareness and vigilance. Tunisia saw the overthrow of Zine El Abidine Ben Ali in a popular revolution in January, which was soon followed by a revolution which toppled Hosni Mubarak in Egypt in February. Bahrain, Jordan, Kuwait, Saudi Arabia, Yemen and Libya have since been the scene of protests against their totalitarian rulers, who have resorted to brutal crackdown on demonstrations to silence their critics. While Libya celebrated the victory of its revolution after the death of the country's dictator, Muammar Qaddafi, in October, uprisings continue in several other Muslim states.