BAGHDAD, Nov. 27 (Xinhua) -- Angry protesters on Wednesday burned the Iranian consulate in the holy Shiite city of Najaf, while the security forces imposed a curfew in the city, a security source said.
Dozens of demonstrators rallied outside the Iranian consulate in the evening before they broke into the building and set fire in it, the source told Xinhua on condition of anonymity.
The Iranian consulate employees fled the building before the attack of the protesters, the source said.
The authorities in Najaf, some 160 km south of Baghdad, declared curfew in the city starting from Wednesday night until further notice, the source added.
Later on, the governor of Najaf province declared in a statement the suspension of work in all the government institutions, except for security, health and other public service departments, because most of the main roads in the province have been blocked by the anti-government demonstrations.
Many protesters blame neighboring Iran for interfering in Iraq's internal affairs and organizing much of the country's corruption.
The incident came as mass demonstrations continued in the capital Baghdad and other cities in central and southern Iraq since early October, demanding comprehensive reform, accountability for corruption, improvement of public services and job opportunities.
