Iran's foreign minister was asked about the protests convulsing France and turned the question into an attack on European policy. He said the countries that supported the war are now facing a crisis of their own. In his view, the economic turmoil and other troubles spreading through Europe stem from the wrongheaded policies of the governments currently in charge. The answer offered no sympathy for the French authorities and stopped short of any comment on the demonstrators themselves. Tehran has long flipped such questions back on the West, pointing to domestic unrest abroad whenever Iranian policy comes under criticism. France has seen waves of street protests in recent years over budget fights and living costs. The minister's line tracks with a familiar argument from Iranian officials, who say European leaders should fix their own economies before lecturing others. Whether the remarks land in Paris is almost beside the point; the message is aimed largely at a domestic and regional audience.