Iran sanctions may provoke Arab Spring of its own, Israel claimshttp://tgr.ph/VeutId
The Telegraph 
10:12 AM - 30 Sep 12 · Details
Iran is being hit so hard by sanctions it could trigger an Arab Spring-style revolution, Israel's foreign minister has warned.
Mr Lieberman urged UN delegates to support any Iranian popular uprising. Photo: AP
By Phoebe Greenwood in Tel Aviv
2:35PM BST 30 Sep 2012
Less than 48 hours after Benjamin Netanyahu warned the international community of the urgent need to stop Iran's nuclear development, Avigdor Lieberman has argued the case for inaction with equal conviction.
Basing his analysis on government intelligence and the reports of Russian businessmen who have visited the Islamic Republic, Mr Lieberman told Israel's Ha'aretz newspaper that the impact of international economic sanctions has stoked popular unrest in Iran to such a degree that by summer next year, there will be an uprising comparable to that which unseated Hosni Mubarak in Egypt.
"In my view, there's going to be an Iranian-style Tahrir revolution," Mr Lieberman said. "If you held a referendum – the nuclear programme or quality of life – 70 to 80 per cent would choose the second option. It's not that they're opposed to the nuclear programme, but they aren't willing to pay these crazy prices," he added.
It is uncharacteristic for the foreign minister to play the part of peacenik, but on Iran, he has argued for sanctions over military action.
Last Thursday, the same day the Mr Netanyahu addressed the United Nations General Assembly, a report from Israel's foreign ministry was released concluding that sanctions on Iran are working, calling for another round.
