The Oxford University scholar told Sky News: "The protesters see themselves as part of a much bigger Iran protest."The regime has also levelled blame at its Kurdish population, much of which lives near the border of Iraq.Read more:A spark to a raging fire: Inside the Iranian protestsIran reviewing headscarf ban, official saysAnalysis: Confusion over fate of morality policeA spark to a raging fire: Inside the Iranian protestsIran reviewing headscarf ban, official saysAnalysis: Confusion over fate of morality police'The whole of Iran rose up'Samira, 42, is a mother of two teenage boys and lives in Sanandaj city, the regional capital of the Kurdistan region in northwestern Iran.The Iranian government has also accused Kurdish opposition groups based across the border in northern Iraq of inciting the demonstrations and smuggling weapons into the country.Nonetheless, a senior Iranian military official visiting Baghdad last month threatened Iraq with a ground military operation if the Iraqi army does not fortify the countries' shared border against Kurdish opposition groups."