Iran pledges ‘decisive action’ as Mahsa Amini protests continue

Iranian president’s warning comes as social media movies confirmed protesters again on the streets regardless of a crackdown that killed at the very least 41 folks.

Iranian refugee protests Mahsa Amini's death in Athens, Greece
Eli Fazlollah, an Iranian refugee, takes half in a protest following the loss of life of Mahsa Amini in Iran, in Athens, Greece, September 24, 2022 [Louiza Vradi/ Reuters]

Iran’s President Ebrahim Raisi has pledged to deal “decisively” with the protests which have swept the nation for the reason that loss of life of a girl who was detained by the Iranian morality police.

Raisi’s feedback on Saturday got here as protesters took to the streets for a ninth consecutive night time, defying a crackdown during which at the very least 41 folks have been killed, in line with state tv. It mentioned the toll was primarily based by itself rely and official figures have been but to be launched.

A whole lot of individuals have additionally been arrested, with protests reported in many of the nation’s 31 provinces.

State media mentioned Raisi on Saturday spoke to a relative of the Basij paramilitary member who had been killed whereas collaborating in a crackdown within the northeastern metropolis of Mashhad. It quoted the president as saying that Iran should “deal decisively with those that oppose the nation’s safety and tranquillity”.

The president “harassed the need to differentiate between protest and disturbing public order and safety, and referred to as the occasions … a riot,” state media reported.

The protests broke out in northwestern Iran per week in the past on the funeral of Mahsa Amini, a 22-year-old Kurdish girl who died after falling right into a coma following her detention in Tehran by morality police imposing hijab guidelines on girls’s costume.

Her loss of life has reignited anger over points together with restrictions on private freedoms in Iran, the strict costume codes for girls, and an economic system reeling from sanctions.

Ladies have performed a outstanding function within the protests, waving and burning their veils. Some have publicly lower their hair as livid crowds referred to as for the autumn of Supreme Chief Ayatollah Ali Khamenei.

The protests have been the most important to comb Iran since demonstrations over gas costs in 2019 when the Reuters information company reported 1,500 folks have been killed in a crackdown on protesters – the bloodiest confrontation within the nation’s historical past.

On Friday, state-organised rallies passed off in a number of Iranian cities to counter the anti-government protests, and the military promised to confront “the enemies” behind the unrest.

State tv in Iran, which has accused armed exiled Iranian Kurdish dissidents of involvement within the unrest, mentioned the Iranian Revolutionary Guard Corps had fired artillery on bases of Kurdish opposition teams within the Kurdish area of northern Iraq.

‘Spiralling lethal response’

A minimum of thrice this week, cell web has been disrupted in Iran, the NetBlocks watchdog has reported. Activists say the transfer is meant to stop video footage of the violence from reaching the world.

On Saturday NetBlocks mentioned Microsoft’s Skype video calling app was now restricted, the most recent such measure after platforms together with Instagram, WhatsApp and LinkedIn have been focused.

In an effort to assist maintain web connection, america is making exceptions to its sanctions regime on Iran – a transfer Tehran mentioned on Saturday was consistent with Washington’s hostile stance.

Rights group Amnesty Worldwide mentioned protesters face a “spiralling lethal response from safety forces” and referred to as for an impartial United Nations investigation.

On the night time of September 21, shootings by safety forces left at the very least 19 folks lifeless, together with three youngsters, it mentioned.

“The rising loss of life toll is an alarming indication of simply how ruthless the authorities’ assault on human life has been underneath the darkness of the web shutdown,” Amnesty mentioned.

State tv confirmed footage purporting to indicate calm had returned to many components of the capital Tehran late on Friday.

“However in some western and northern areas of Tehran and sure provinces, rioters destroyed public property,” it mentioned, carrying footage of protesters setting hearth to garbage bins and a automotive, marching, and throwing rocks.

The activist Twitter account 1500tasvir carried movies of protests in Tehran’s western district of Sattarkhan displaying protesters gathered at a sq. chanting: “Don’t be afraid, we're all on this collectively,” late on Saturday with a motorbike apparently belonging to riot police burning within the background.

One other video, purportedly from Saturday night, confirmed a girl defiantly swinging her scarf above her head as she walked in the midst of a Tehran road.

Protests additionally passed off within the northern metropolis of Babol in Mazandaran province, in line with footage on social media, with youths making an attempt to tear down portraits of Khamenei and Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini, the founding father of the Islamic Republic of Iran, from a college’s gate whereas bystanders cheered them on and shouted: “Loss of life to the dictator.”

Protests additionally reportedly proceed within the metropolis of Rasht in Gilan province, the place the police chief has introduced the “arrest of 739 rioters, together with 60 girls” in that province alone. Different movies confirmed crows gathering in Sanandaj, the capital of Kurdistan province, late on Saturday, regardless of a heavy police presence.

The movies couldn't be verified independently.

Demonstrators additionally took to the streets of cities in Iraq, Germany, Greece, Sweden, the UK and the US on Saturday to precise solidarity with Iranian protesters.

In Iraq, dozens of Iraqi and Iranian Kurds rallied exterior the UN compound within the northern metropolis of Erbil, carrying placards with Amini’s photograph and chanting: “Loss of life to the dictator,” referring to Khamenei.

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