An Iranian jurisprudent has likened the recent unrest in Tunisia and the ouster of its ruling president
Zine al-Abidine Ben Ali to the 1979 Islamic Revolution in Iran.

Senior Iranian cleric Ayatollah Nasser Makarem Shirazi discussed the ongoing political standoff in Egypt and Tunisia, saying that the former ruling system in Tunisia who fled to Saudi Arabai has leaned against the outsiders and began looting public properties even since he came into power some 23 years ago.

He said that an Islamic movement emerged in the country which will cut off the hands of the aliens.

The grand ayatollah warned Muslim heads of states against relying on foreign governments and said that the “time to lean on foreigners has come to an end” and called on the governments to serve their nations and rely on their own people.

“The Zionist regime [of Israel] has suffered a heavy blow from Hezbollah and the United States bogged down in Iraq and Afghanistan,” said the Ayatollah, adding that the Americans plan to wage civil war in Lebanon to divert the attention of the world community from their defeat in Afghanistan and Iraq.

Ayatollah Makarem praised Hezbollah Secretary General Seyyed Hassan Nasrallah’s statement to maintain Lebanon’s unity and his efforts to prevent civil war in Lebanon and said “all Islamic countries should remain consolidated and prevent US mischief, since its repercussions will affect the whole region.