More Protests Friday Showed Popular Anger Continues In Iran
Protests across Iran took place Friday with many demonstrations in Sistan-Baluchestan and Kordestan provinces with some other protests in metropolitan areas.
Ceremonies for the 40th day since the death of several protesters were held on Friday in cities across the country, with people chanting slogans against the Islamic Republic and security forces opening fire at them.
Having become the new normal in the city of Marivan, in West Azarbaijan province, night-time protests continued in the city with people setting trash cans on fire.
In addition to continuing fierce protests since earlier this week in the Kurdish-majority cities of Sanandaj and cities in the southeastern province of Sistan and Baluchestan, the provincial capital of Lorestan province, Khorramabad, was also the scene of intense clashes as people held a gathering for the 40th day after the death of Sam (Sepehr) Beyranvand.
People in the cities of Mirjaveh and Rask, in Sistan and Baluchestan province near the border with Pakistan, were out chanting antigovernment slogans, describing the current protests as a “revolution.”
Security forces have again cracked down on protesters who took to the streets and chanted against the Supreme Leader and the IRGC in the province. Videos posted on social media show thousands marching in the streets of Zahedan and other predominantly Sunni Baluch population centers of Khash, Iranshahr (Pahreh or Bahreh), Rask, the border town of Pishin, strategic port city of Chabahar, and Saravan.
The leader of the Baluch people Molavi Abdolhamid also in his Friday sermon harshly criticized Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei’s rule.
Protesters in Zahedan and other cities took to the streets after Friday prayers chanting “Down with the Dictator,” “Death to Khamenei”, and “I’ll kill those who killed my brother,”. Videos also show people chanting slogans against the IRGC and its militia, the Basij as well as “From Zahedan to Tehran, I will give my life for Iran”.
Protesters also carried posters of Khodanour Lajoie, a young man shot to death on October 1. A photo of Lajoei chained to a lamppost by the police several months ago has turned into a symbol of government’s injustice in impoverished Sistan and Baluchestan.
Popular Sunni religious leader Abdolhamid once again blasted the use of lethal force against protesters and demanded punishment for those responsible for killing Baluch protesters and refuted claims of separatism brought against them by the government. Abdolhamid’s call for a referendum with the presence of international observers to decide the future form of government in Iran has angered hardliners. He recently expressed more liberal views about the role of women in society after being criticized by some Baluch activists for not mentioning women and acknowledging gender equality in his fiery Friday prayer sermons.
Reports about the alleged rape of a 15-year-old Baluch girl in June by a police commander in Chabahar, who has remained immune to prosecution, sparked protests in Zahedan on September 30. At least 100 protesters were reportedly killed in the province since then.
Gathering for the 40th day death anniversary of two protesters killed in Tehran’s ceremony spread to several neighborhoods in different parts of capital Tehran.
In some neighborhoods of Tehran, protesters chanted slogans against the regime for killing children and young adults. “Infanticidal regime, we don’t want,” chanted the protests.
The international support for the protests in Iran is getting stronger as France and UK are calling for punitive measures against the Islamic Republic and more than one million have signed a petition by Amnesty International to urge UN member states to take action.
