In connection with the widespread protests in Iran, the president called for a peaceful approach, but security forces were reportedly responsible for dozens of victims.
Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkiyan on Wednesday ordered security forces not to crack down on protesters, distinguishing between peaceful demonstrators and armed “rioters”. TASR informs about it according to the report of the AFP agency.
- The Iranian president has ordered non-combat against peaceful protesters against the security forces.
- It distinguishes peaceful protesters from armed rioters and thugs.
- The protests arose from the economic situation and the rising cost of living.
In a video released by the Mehr news agency after the cabinet meeting, Vice President Mohammad Jafar Kaempana said the president had ordered “no security measures to be taken against the protesters.”
Distinction between demonstrators and rioters
“Those who carry firearms, knives and machetes and attack police stations and military facilities are rioters, and we must distinguish between demonstrators and rioters,” added Káempaná.
Security forces have already killed at least 27 protesters, including five under the age of 18, the Norway-based NGO Iran Human Rights (IHR) said on Tuesday. Iranian media, which carry official statements, reported 13 dead, including security forces and a policeman who was shot dead on Tuesday.
Connection with the economic crisis
The protests were sparked by the economic situation in the country and the rising cost of living associated with it. They began on December 28 with the shutdown of traders in Tehran and have since spread to other areas. These are the most serious demonstrations in the country since nationwide protests in 2022-23 sparked by the death in custody of 22-year-old Mahsa Aminí. The authorities detained her for allegedly violating the strict dress code for women, writes AFP.
