Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei admitted on Saturday that protests against the poor economic situation are justified. At the same time, however, he made a sharp distinction between citizens’ complaints and anti-government riots.
Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei admitted on Saturday that protests by retailers over the country’s poor economic situation are justified. However, according to him, the authorities must deal with the demonstrators who commit riots. TASR informs about it based on the AFP report.
- Khamenei recognized the legitimacy of protests against the economic situation.
- The demonstrations resulted in nationwide riots.
- The leader refuses to communicate with the rioters and demands intervention.
- Clashes and loss of life occurred during the protests.
Protests in Iran
The rallies, which began in Tehran as a protest against economic problems and soaring inflation, quickly turned into nationwide riots accompanied by political slogans. In addition to slogans such as “Death to the dictator” and “The mullahs must go”, many protesters are also calling for the return of the monarchy, which was overthrown in the 1979 Islamic revolution.
Speaking on the occasion of a Shiite holiday, Khamenei said the president and senior government officials were working to solve the country’s economic problems. “The shop owners have protested the current situation and that is completely justified,” he admitted.
Khamenei: It is useless to have a dialogue with rioters
However, the Iranian leader emphasized that “although the authorities must have a dialogue with the demonstrators, it is useless to have a dialogue with the rioters.” According to him, it is necessary to show where they belong.
According to official data, at least eight people, including members of the security services, have lost their lives during the demonstrations. The first deaths were reported on Thursday when protesters clashed with security forces. On Saturday, the Mehr news agency reported that during a demonstration in the west of the country, a member of the Basij paramilitary militia, which is subordinate to the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps, was fatally stabbed and shot.
