Iranian protesters defy crackdown with nationwide demonstrations By Reuters

DUBAI (Reuters) -Protesters throughout Iran defied an almost month-long crackdown on Saturday, activists mentioned, chanting within the streets and in universities towards the nation’s clerical leaders in a sustained wave of anger on the dying of Mahsa Amini.

The protests sweeping Iran since Amini – a 22-year-old lady from the nation’s Kurdish area – died on Sept. 16 whereas being held for “inappropriate apparel” pose one of the vital severe challenges to the Islamic Republic because the 1979 revolution.

Though the unrest doesn’t seem near toppling the system, the protests have widened into strikes which have closed retailers and companies, touched the important vitality sector and impressed brazen acts of dissent towards Iran’s non secular rule.

A video posted by the Norway-based organisation Iran Human Rights purported to point out protests within the northeastern metropolis of Mashhad, Iran’s second most populous metropolis, with demonstrators chanting “Clerics get misplaced” and drivers honking their horns.

Movies posted by the group confirmed a strike by shopkeepers within the northwestern Kurdish metropolis of Saqez – Amini’s dwelling city. One other video on social media confirmed feminine highschool college students chanting “Girl, Life, Freedom” on the streets of Sanandaj, the capital of Kurdistan province.

Protests had been additionally reported in Isfahan, in central Iran, and within the southeast of the nation.

Reuters couldn’t independently confirm the movies. Telephone and web providers in Iran have been steadily disrupted during the last month and web watchdog NetBlocks reported “a brand new main disruption” shortly earlier than Saturday’s protests started.

Amini died in custody after she was detained by morality police for violating strict non secular rules requiring ladies to be modestly dressed.

TEENAGE GIRL DIES

The Iranian activist information company HRANA mentioned on Saturday that 233 folks had been killed within the unrest, together with 32 minors and 26 members of the safety forces. Greater than 7,000 had been arrested in protests in 112 cities and cities and a few 70 universities, it mentioned in a posting on-line.

Among the many casualties have been teenage ladies whose deaths have change into a rallying cry for extra demonstrations demanding the downfall of the Islamic Republic.

Protesters referred to as on Saturday for demonstrations within the northwestern metropolis of Ardabil over the dying of Asra Panahi, an adolescent from the Azeri ethnic minority who activists alleged was crushed to dying by safety forces.

Officers denied the report and information companies near the Revolutionary Guards quoted her uncle as saying the highschool pupil had died of a coronary heart downside.

Movies posted on social media by activist web site 1500tasvir purported to point out road protests in Ardabil, whereas one other social media video confirmed riot police retreating from rock-throwing demonstrators.

Iran has blamed the violence on enemies at dwelling and overseas, together with armed separatists and Western powers, accusing them of conspiring towards the Islamic Republic and denying that safety forces have killed protesters.

In his hardest warning but to protesters, Supreme Chief Ayatollah Ali Khamenei – whose downfall many demonstrators have demanded – mentioned on Friday that nobody ought to dare suppose they’ll uproot the Islamic Republic.

In Tehran’s Shariaty technical school, feminine college students chanted slogans towards the 4 decade-long clerical rule. “So a few years of crimes, dying to this non secular management”, they chanted, in keeping with a video posted on social media.

Related protests came about in universities throughout the nation, in keeping with activists.

Iran’s overseas minister spoke on Friday with the European Union’s high diplomat Josep Borrell, who urged Tehran to cease the repression of protesters.

In a telephone name, Hossein Amirabdollahian instructed Borrell Iran allowed peaceable protests and its authorities loved fashionable assist, state media mentioned. “Subsequently, we advocate that Europeans take a look at the difficulty with a practical method,” he mentioned.

New EU sanctions on some 15 Iranians are anticipated to be authorized on Monday, diplomats mentioned.