Iran’s state television broadcast footage of pro-government rallies in Tehran and elsewhere, held to show its popularity, amid opposition protests. The crowd is much smaller than in previous rallies organized by the government
The Iranian regime is taking its supporters to the streets: in a video published on social media, a crowd of pro-establishment protesters is seen marching on Englab (Revolution) Avenue in the center of Tehran, after Friday prayers near the campus of the University of Tehran calling for “hang the hypocritical instigators” Some residents of Tehran tweeted that the crowd was small Much more than in previous rallies organized by the government.
In his sermon, Tehran’s Friday prayer leader, Kazem Sadighi, accused the protesters of “immodesty of Muslim women and lighting the Koran” and urged the justice system to punish the “leaders of the riots” whom he called murderers. This was reported by the Iran International TV channel.
The Friday imam’s accusations are not substantiated by reports and video footage from the anti-government protests. There were no reports of the burning of the Koran and many women at the rallies still covered their heads. The Iranian authorities usually call the opposition “hypocritical instigators” they always attribute “rebellions” to foreign powers such as the United States and Great Britain or the exiled Mujahideen Khalq organization, known as the MEK, which in the official rhetoric of the Islamic Republic are always called “hypocrites”.
The Tasnim news agency linked to the Revolutionary Guards said this morning (Friday) that Iranians would “unanimously condemn the riots” and published calls from various officials, including Friday imams in various cities to rally against the protesters after prayers, but photos and images of this type of gatherings are almost and do not exist in social networks, media and news agencies related to the state.
On Thursday, German Foreign Minister Annalena Barbuk condemned the “brutal attack against the brave women” who demonstrated in Iran against the death of a young Iranian woman because she did not wear the hijab alone, and called the crackdown on the ongoing protests “an attack on humanity”, adding that Berlin would ask From the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights to deal with the attack as a violation of human rights.
The Swedish Foreign Minister Anne Lind, who expressed her sympathy with the Iranian protests, said: “Sweden stands by all those who are grieving for a religious person who was killed in Iran and elsewhere.” He also expressed deep concern over reports of injuries and deaths in connection with ongoing protests. “The women of Iran must be heard. Human rights must be guaranteed to all Iranians, including the right to peaceful protest.”
In his speech at the General Assembly, Chilean President Gabriel Boric also condemned the death of Amini by the Iranian police, saying that the international community must “mobilize efforts to stop violence against women, whether it is in Iran where she was killed by the police this week, or anywhere in the world.”
In contrast to President Raisi who ignored the death of Amini and the current protests in his country during his speech at the UN, Prime Minister Lapid said in a speech at the UN, “Iran’s regime hates Jews, hates women, hates the West. They hate and kill Muslims who think differently, like Salman Rushdie and Mahsa Believe me, their hatred is a way of life. It’s a way to preserve their oppressive rule.”
The non-governmental organization Iran Human Rights, based in Oslo, Norway, said on Thursday that the death toll in protests across Iran had risen to 31. Iran’s state channel confirmed the death of 17 people, including security forces and protesters, but the real number is expected to be higher.