Iran is about to live a new day under tension. Despite authorities blocking access to popular apps such as Instagram and WhatsApp, activists launched an online call for mass protests on Saturday (October 15th) under the slogan “The beginning of the end!” of the regime.
They encouraged young people and the general Iranian population to march in places where the security forces are not present, and to chant “Death to the Dictator”in reference to the Supreme Leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei.
Despite a deadly repression, the mobilization triggered by the death of Mahsa Amini entered its fifth week, and the demonstrators received, Friday evening, the support of Joe Biden, who assured that the United States was “alongside the citizens, the courageous women of Iran”. “I was flabbergasted by what it had awakened in Iran. It’s awakened something that I don’t think will go away for a long, long time.”said the American president during a trip to California.
Women “must be able to wear what they want to wear”
Joe Biden traveled to Irvine, in southern California, to give a speech on a completely different subject, the cost of health care in the United States. But at the sight of a group of demonstrators, some of whom were brandishing “Free Iran” signs, he spoke of the protest that is currently sweeping through the Islamic Republic. The women “must be able to wear what they want to wear, good God”he launched, adding: “Iran must end the violence against its own citizens who are simply exercising their basic rights”.
In tune with Joe Biden, the American executive displayed more visibly its support for the demonstrations in Iran on Friday. Secretary of State Antony Blinken received representatives of the Iranian diaspora, while Vice-President Kamala Harris invited actress and activist Nazanin Boniadi.
“We are witnessing something remarkable across the country, led primarily by women and young people”, said the head of the American diplomacy. Kamala Harris said in a statement that “the courage of these women had inspired her as it inspired the world”, and promised his guest Washington’s help to “ensure that these important voices are heard, including by making it easier to access the internet” in Iran.
Anti-riot rallies also planned
Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi has repeatedly accused the United States, Tehran’s sworn enemy, of seeking to destabilize his country. The Islamic Republic has also accused France of“interference”after the remarks made on Wednesday by President Emmanuel Macron affirming that Paris “condemns the repression carried out today by the Iranian regime”.
The protest movement has prompted solidarity rallies abroad as well as Western sanctions targeting Iranian officials and institutions accused of involvement in the crackdown.
Saturday, parallel to the protest movement, rallies “riot control” are planned in the evening in “all the mosques in the country (…) to counter the plots of Iran’s enemies”according to a statement from the Islamic Development Coordination Council, responsible for organizing official events.
Outrage over the September 16 death of Mahsa Amini has sparked the biggest wave of protests in Iran since 2019 protests over rising gasoline prices in the oil-rich country.
This 22-year-old Iranian Kurd was arrested on September 13 by the morality police in Tehran for allegedly violating the Islamic Republic’s strict dress code for women, including the wearing of the veil. Iranian authorities claim that the young woman died of an illness and not of « coups », according to a medical report rejected by his father. Her cousin claimed she died after “a violent blow to the head”.
Since then, young women, students and schoolgirls have spearheaded protests in which they chant anti-government slogans, set their headscarves on fire and clash with security forces.
At least 108 people killed
At least 108 people have been killed since September 16, according to the Oslo-based Iran Human Rights (IHR) association. For its part, Amnesty International deplored the death of at least twenty-three minors “killed by Iranian security forces”adding that they were between the ages of 11 and 17.
Two members of the security forces were also shot dead in the southern province of Fars as part of the protests, bringing to at least 20 the number of members of the security forces killed since the start of the protest, reported, Friday, official media.
Analysts say the multifaceted nature of anti-government protests, including young people who gather in small groups in certain neighborhoods to avoid detection, makes it difficult for law enforcement to try to stop them.
In an open letter published on its front page on Thursday, the reformist newspaper Advances called on Iran’s top security official to end the arrests made under “sometimes fallacious reasons”.
Rarely, the Tehran police announced on Friday that they would investigate accusations of harassment against one of their agents. The latter was filmed when he seemed to be touching a protester who had just been arrested, according to a video published by channels abroad.
In recent days, deadly clashes between demonstrators and security forces have taken place in particular in Sanandaj, capital of the province of Kurdistan where Mahsa Amini was from.