Iranian police open fire on protesters
Arab News,
02 July 2018
02 July 2018
Demonstration
over polluted water latest sign of growing unrest. Khorramshahr has been the
scene of demonstrations for the past three days, along with the nearby city of
Abadan.
over polluted water latest sign of growing unrest. Khorramshahr has been the
scene of demonstrations for the past three days, along with the nearby city of
Abadan.
 |
| Iranian protesters gather at Mobile market in Tehran on June 25, 2018. In the latest protest in Iran, several people were injured in the southwestern city of Khorramshahr late Saturday during a demonstration against water pollution, Iranian state media reported. (AFP / ATTA KENARE) |
JEDDAH:
Iranian police opened fire with live ammunition and tear-gas canisters early on
Sunday as protests against the Tehran regime turned violent.
The shots
rang out when about 500 young people gathered in the main square and outside a
mosque in the southwestern city of Khorramshahr in a demonstration against
water shortages and pollution.
rang out when about 500 young people gathered in the main square and outside a
mosque in the southwestern city of Khorramshahr in a demonstration against
water shortages and pollution.
Khorramshahr
has been the scene of demonstrations for the past three days, along with the
nearby city of Abadan. State television showed banks with broken windows and
footage of a demonstrator armed with a rifle.
has been the scene of demonstrations for the past three days, along with the
nearby city of Abadan. State television showed banks with broken windows and
footage of a demonstrator armed with a rifle.
Police
fired tear gas as protesters set fire to a bridge, and to a garden surrounding
a museum which is a memorial to the Iran-Iraq war.
fired tear gas as protesters set fire to a bridge, and to a garden surrounding
a museum which is a memorial to the Iran-Iraq war.
The protests
were the latest outbreak of unrest throughout Iran, following demonstrations
and strikes in Tehran last week over economic mismanagement.
were the latest outbreak of unrest throughout Iran, following demonstrations
and strikes in Tehran last week over economic mismanagement.
Iran has
been facing mounting economic woes since the United States in May pulled out of
a 2015 accord between Tehran and world powers that had lifted international
sanctions in exchange for curbs on the Islamic republic’s nuclear program.
been facing mounting economic woes since the United States in May pulled out of
a 2015 accord between Tehran and world powers that had lifted international
sanctions in exchange for curbs on the Islamic republic’s nuclear program.
Iran’s
currency has plunged almost 50 percent in value in the past six months against
the US dollar and inflation is on the rise.
currency has plunged almost 50 percent in value in the past six months against
the US dollar and inflation is on the rise.
Traders
in Tehran’s Grand Bazaar held a rare strike on Monday against the collapse of
the rial.
in Tehran’s Grand Bazaar held a rare strike on Monday against the collapse of
the rial.
Brief
scuffles also broken out on Monday between protesters and police in the
capital.
scuffles also broken out on Monday between protesters and police in the
capital.
“Iran is
experiencing a major political earthquake again,” said the Iranian-American
political scientist and Arab News columnist Dr. Majid Rafizadeh.
experiencing a major political earthquake again,” said the Iranian-American
political scientist and Arab News columnist Dr. Majid Rafizadeh.
“The
fault lines in these protests are crystal clear,” he told Arab News. “On the
one side, we have the theocratic regime and its suppressive forces; and on the
other, we have the Iranian people who are protesting for political and economic
reasons.
fault lines in these protests are crystal clear,” he told Arab News. “On the
one side, we have the theocratic regime and its suppressive forces; and on the
other, we have the Iranian people who are protesting for political and economic
reasons.
“The
growing scope of the protests across Iran’s cities and towns highlight that the
Iranian people are fearless, courageous, and fed up with the political
establishment. The regime is facing a significant threat to its hold on power.
growing scope of the protests across Iran’s cities and towns highlight that the
Iranian people are fearless, courageous, and fed up with the political
establishment. The regime is facing a significant threat to its hold on power.
“There
are several similarities with the run-up to the 1979 revolution. The
middle class is joining the labor and worker class. Furthermore, many of the
merchants and traders, the conservative base of the Islamic Republic, continue
to demonstrate against the ruling establishment. And more people from the
capital are coming on to the streets. These are major factors that are required
for a revolution.”
are several similarities with the run-up to the 1979 revolution. The
middle class is joining the labor and worker class. Furthermore, many of the
merchants and traders, the conservative base of the Islamic Republic, continue
to demonstrate against the ruling establishment. And more people from the
capital are coming on to the streets. These are major factors that are required
for a revolution.”
The Iranian-American
political commentator Camelia Entekhabifard told Arab News:
“Poverty and massive dissatisfaction with
the inefficiency of the system and financial and administrative
corruption in Iran are the main causes of the protests and unrest in
Khorramshahr.
political commentator Camelia Entekhabifard told Arab News:
“Poverty and massive dissatisfaction with
the inefficiency of the system and financial and administrative
corruption in Iran are the main causes of the protests and unrest in
Khorramshahr.
“Asieh
Bakeri, the daughter of an Iran-Iraq
war hero from Khorramshahr, said on Twitter that no sound hurt
her heart so much as the sound of gunfire she heard on the video footage from
the city. Today, the regime is on one side and all the
Iranian people, from Mashhad to Tehran and Khorramshahr, are on
the other.”
Bakeri, the daughter of an Iran-Iraq
war hero from Khorramshahr, said on Twitter that no sound hurt
her heart so much as the sound of gunfire she heard on the video footage from
the city. Today, the regime is on one side and all the
Iranian people, from Mashhad to Tehran and Khorramshahr, are on
the other.”
Vice
President Eshagh Jahangiri said in statements broadcast on state television
that Iran is suffering from several problems, not just US sanctions.
President Eshagh Jahangiri said in statements broadcast on state television
that Iran is suffering from several problems, not just US sanctions.
Among
Iran’s “woes,” he cited its dependence on oil revenues along with a weak
private sector and a fragile banking sector.
Iran’s “woes,” he cited its dependence on oil revenues along with a weak
private sector and a fragile banking sector.
Industry
Minister Mohammad Shariatmadari told a news conference in Tehran on Saturday
that the situation was not “critical” but “special.”
Minister Mohammad Shariatmadari told a news conference in Tehran on Saturday
that the situation was not “critical” but “special.”
He urged
foreign firms working in Iran to resist US “threats” of sanctions and to
continue doing business in the country.
foreign firms working in Iran to resist US “threats” of sanctions and to
continue doing business in the country.
