Iran’s Army Abdulrahim Mousavi has threatened to use military against demonstrators in his country. So far this has not yet been necessary, said Mousavi according to news portal ASR Iran. For about a week in Iran, people have been demonstrating against country’s political and religious leadership. The Revolutionary Guard had declared protest to have failed on Wednesday, but people went on streets again at night on Thursday.
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About a hundred thousand people participated in demonstrations for government on Wednesday. It is still unclear how many Iranians participated in protests so far. According to interior Minister Abdolresa Rahmani Fasli, a total of 42,000 people have been involved. The data was based on “precise statistics”, let Fasli inform. The protests could have continued only because of “tolerance, restraint, toleration and interaction” of his government.
Observers consider figure to be understated. According to scientist Mohammad Ali Kadivar, who works at American Brown University to protest movements in Iran, re were protests in 75 cities until Thursday. However, it is difficult for observers to get an overview. The Iranian leadership slows down Internet in part and has blocked some social media.
CIA official to be “chief designer” of protests
In beginning, people had demonstrated mainly against poor living conditions, and later protests against government were directed. The regime-critical demonstrations arose in many cases spontaneously and without leadership, especially in rural, poor areas. In big cities like Tehran re were only a few rallies.
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According to political and religious leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, foreign intelligence services are responsible for escalating protests. The attorney General Mohammed Gaafar Montaseri said, according to state news agency Irna, that a CIA official was “main designer” of protests. The Israeli and Saudi Arab leaders supported operation. The aim is to develop protests to an armed uprising by mid-February. The Iranian government had already written a letter to United Nations to complain about support of US protests.
Iran, according to Iranian news agency Isna, also called on British media Inspectorate Ofcom to stop reporting on protests of some persischsprachiger broadcasters in UK. These channels would incite people in Iran to “armed uprising”, according to a letter from Iranian embassy. Names of certain stations should not have been named. Observers assume that mainly BBC Persian and Manoto are meant. Both report intensively on protests, in contrast to media in Iran. Broadcasters can also be received via satellite in Iran.
At least 21 people have been killed and more than a thousand have been arrested. According to official information, re is also an EU citizen who is in custody in city of Borujerd in west of country. The city’s chief justice, Hamid-Resa Bolhassani, told news agency Tasnim that man had been trained by European intelligence services and sent to Borujerd to conduct protests re. However, it remained unclear from which country man originated and wher he might also have an Iranian nationality.
Nobel Peace Prize winner calls for civil disobedience
In addition, according to news agency Tasnim security forces, a “terror team” was to be wiped out with “continuation of rebellion by means of explosives (…) And murder of innocents.
The Iranian Nobel Peace Prize laureate Shirin Ebadi called for furr protests and civil disobedience. To exert pressure on government, Iranians should not pay ir electricity and water bills and taxes and deduct ir money from accounts of government banks. But violence must be avoided.
Federal Foreign Minister Sigmar Gabriel expressed sympathy for protests against Tehran leadership. The role of Iran in region as a whole must be far peaceful, demanded foreign minister against Mirror. “We have repeatedly said to Iranian leadership that country’s economic recovery can only be achieved through more international economic cooperation,” said Gabriel.
Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, however, warned against interfering in Iran’s internal affairs. These provocations are not correct. People from outside should not come and do same as y did at Istanbul’s Taksim Square. His impression is that situation will stabilize “within one or two days”.
