Nationwide Coverage Of Protests In Iran On September 20
Following Monday’s large anti-government protest in central Tehran, demonstrations expanded Tuesday to many Iranian cities and towns, with gunshots reported.
So far large and small protests have been reported from many large cities and provincial capitals including the religious city of Mashhad, capital of Khorasan-e Razavi Province in northeast; Tabriz capital of East Azarbaijan Province in northwest; Rasht, capital of northern province of Gilan where at least a dozen were arrested in last night’s protests; the religious city of Qom, capital of a province of the same name where most Iranian religious seminaries are located; Ilam, capital of western province of Ilam; Hamedan, capital of a province of the same name; Kermanshah, capital of Kermanshah Province, and Zanjan, capital of Zanjan Province where security forces have clashed with protesters and shot at them.
Later, reports came of protests in Bandar Abbas, a key port city on the Persian Gulf, in Shiraz, capital of Fars Province and in Qazvin.
The protests began Friday when a 22-year-old woman who was arrested a week ago by the Islamic Republic’s hijab police and fatally wounded in custody. She died on Friday, plunging the country into social unrest.
The protests on Monday were reminiscent of large demonstrations in 2009, as thousands of women seemed to be leading the movement, with the critical difference that after 13 years many Iranians have come to reject the clerical system as a whole rather than any particular policy or decision.
Many women took off their headscarves not only in Tehran but even small, traditional towns, to protests the policy of forced hijab. Protesters also chanted slogans against the country’s aging ruler, Ali Khamenei who has increasingly tightened the rule of religious hardliners and his own loyal supporters. He has also resisted reaching an agreement with the United States that would lift sanctions and help the ailing economy.
Although the demonstration at the bazaar has already started, activists have called for more protests in central parts of Tehran at 6:00 pm local time or 9:30 am Washington DC time. In the meantime there is unrest in Tabriz and Mashhad, the second largest city in Iran.
Protests came to an end around midnight in most location, while there no final figures about casualties and arrests. We conclude out live coverage at 20:50 GMT or 16:50 EDT.
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Protests in the capital Tehran generally ended at around 23:00 local time with one eyewitness telling Iran International that he saw the largest concentration of anti-riot and security forces in the city confronting protesters who tried to barricade themselves and pile up objects to throw in self-defense.
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Protesters have burned a vehicle belonging to anti-riot forces is Sabzevar, a city of around 210,000 in eastern Razavi Province.
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A 22-year-old protester shot dead by security forces in Orumieh, capital of West Azarbaijan Province has been identified as Farjad Darvishi.
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An hour before midnight in Iran, protesters have remained on the streets in many cities, clashed with security forces who are mostly using tear gas and batons, and burned their vehicles in several places, but there have also been reports of gunfire, although limited in scope. There are no confirmed reports on arrests or possible casualties.
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Protesters have set fire to several vehicles used by security forces in Qazvin, capital of Qazvin Province.
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Tuesday evening - Protesters have taken to the street in Gorgan, capital of the northern province of Golestan, chanting and burning headscarves. One of the videos on social media show security forces attacking protesters.
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Teusday evening - Protests began in Bandar Abbas, capital of the southern province of Hormozgan, as night fell. Protesters are marching on the streets and chanting.
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Protests have continued in central Tehran where thousands are chanting slogans against the Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei. A video from Palestine Square close to Tehran University shows security forces firing at protesters. The IRGC-linked Fars news agency has reported that security forces have used tear gas to disperse protesters.
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Tuesday Evening - People have taken to the streets and are chanting in Shiraz, capital of the southern Province of Fars. Gunshots are heard in a video posted on Twitter.
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Reports from Iran indicate complete internet shutdown in Kordestan Province where at least four died in anti-government protests Monday, and serious disruptions in mobile internet in several other cities including the capital Tehran, Orumieh, the capital of West Azarbaijan Province, Isfahan, capital of Esfahan Province, and the southwestern Khuzestan Province where extensive protests occurred in May after a massive increase in food prices. “The authorities prevent coverage of protests … RSF demands the restoration of the Internet in Iran!”, Reporters Without Borders tweeted.
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More videos are emerging as evening draws closer which show protesters in other cities such as Kerman, capital of the eastern Kerman Province, are joining the protests.
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Tuesday afternoon - Hundreds have taken to the street in Qazvin, capital of a province of the same name to the west of the capital, chanting “Down with the Dictator” and slogans against clerics. Protesters are booing the police and security forces.
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Tuesday afternoon- Videos from Ilam, capital of a western province of the same name, shows protesters calling Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei “Our Foolish Leader!” and chanting “Death to Khamenei”. There were no protests in Ilam Province Monday.
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Tuesday afternoon - A video from Hamedan, capital of Hamedan Province shows a very large crowd of protesters chanting against the police and shouting “Scoundrels” at them. This is the first time protesters have taken to the street this week in Hamedan, a city of around 800,000.
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Tuesday afternoon - A video posted on Twitter shows a large group of protesters chanting slogans, “Down with the Dictator” at Shariati Square in Mashhad, Iran's second-most populous city. Protests in Mashhad began Monday.
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A 4-second video shows a group of mainly women chanting “Scoundrels” at police in Zanjan, capital of a province of the same name, for not allowing them to gather while in another video protesters are seen fleeing from security forces who according to social media reports are present in large numbers in some areas of the city.
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Around 18:00 local time - There are some reports of heavy presence of security forces as people gather on the streets of Tabriz, capital of East Azarbaijan Province, where protests have been quite rare in the past few years. Students of Tabriz University have begun protesting, “Students chanted against discrimination and dictatorship. At least one female student in a video posted on Twitter dropped her headscarf at the gathering of students.
Protest in the University of Tabriz
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Late afternoon - Gunshots are heard in Mashhad as anti-riot forces are seen pursuing protesters through a main square.
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Deputy Chief of Gilan province law enforcement, Colonel Hossein Hasanpour, said Tuesday that 22 protesters, who he called ‘rioters’ were arrested Monday night in the provincial capital Rasht.
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