Sputnik - Iran's Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei has reportedly said that early learning of the English language paves the way for the West's "cultural invasion" of Iran.




The head of�the state-run High Education Council, Mehdi Navid-Adham, said to�local TV on�Sunday that English classes in�primary schools are "against laws and regulations." He added that English was no longer part of�the educational curriculum. High school students will keep learning English, the official added.
Accroding to�Mehdi Navid-Adham, primary schools will now focus on�the Farsi language and classes of�Iranian culture.


The news comes after�an announcement from�Iran�s Revolutionary Guard Corps regarding recent protests. The Revolutionary Guard declared that the demonstrations had been orchestrated with�the�help of�external forces, including the United States and Britain, and had been successfully suppressed.

Earlier in�January, Iranian Ambassador to�the United Nations Gholam Ali Khoshroo said during�an emergency UN Security Council meeting that Tehran had "hard evidence" proving protests were "directed from�abroad." The meeting was called by�the US, which has repeatedly accused Iranian authorities of�cracking down�on pro-democracy protesters.

A wave of�protests has swept across�the country in�recent weeks, with�thousands of�people taking part in�demonstrations. At least 21 people have been killed and over�400 hundred more arrested as�a result of�the unrest. However, most of�those detained have been subsequently released, according to�sources in�police.

Reports of�the ban have already aroused reaction on�social networks.