Iran arrests Europeans accused of position in unrest By Reuters

By Parisa Hafezi

DUBAI (Reuters) -Iran, which has blamed “international enemies” for protests that swept the nation after the dying of a girl in morality police custody, mentioned on Friday it had arrested 9 European nationals for his or her position within the unrest.

The detention of residents of Germany, Poland, Italy, France, the Netherlands, Sweden and different nations is more likely to ratchet up tensions between Iran and Western nations over the dying of Mahsa Amini.

The escalation comes as extra casualties have been reported. Nineteen folks have been killed after safety forces fired on armed protesters attacking a police station, mentioned an official.

Tehran has responded to worldwide condemnation of the case by lashing out at its critics, accusing america of exploiting the unrest to attempt to destabilise Iran.

The 9 unidentified folks have been detained “through the riots or whereas plotting within the background,” the Intelligence Ministry mentioned in a press release carried by Iranian media.

Amini, a 22-year-old from the Iranian Kurdish city of Saqez, was arrested this month in Tehran for “unsuitable apparel” by the morality police who implement the Islamic Republic’s strict gown code for girls.

Her dying has triggered the primary huge present of opposition on Iran’s streets since authorities crushed protests in opposition to an increase in gasoline costs in 2019. The demonstrations have shortly developed into a preferred revolt in opposition to the clerical institution.

Demonstrations have unfold from Amini’s hometown to all of Iran’s 31 provinces, with all layers of society, together with ethnic and spiritual minorities, becoming a member of in.

Fearing an ethnic rebellion and in a present of energy, Iran fired missiles and drones at targets in neighbouring northern Iraq’s Kurdish area this week after accusing Iranian Kurdish dissidents of being concerned within the unrest.

Western human rights teams say that Iran, dominated by its Persian Shi’ite majority, discriminates in opposition to ethnic and spiritual minorities. Tehran denies this.

POLICE STATIONS ATTACKED

Whereas analysts do not anticipate Iran’s clerical rulers to fall, they’re on the defensive and are struggling to provide you with a technique to defuse the fury.

Rights teams mentioned dozens of activists, college students and artists have been detained and the Committee to Defend Journalists mentioned on Twitter (NYSE:) that it had discovered that safety forces had arrested no less than 28 journalists as of Sept. 29.

A senior Iranian cleric referred to as for powerful motion in opposition to protesters.

“Our safety is our distinctive privilege. The Iranian folks demand the harshest punishment for these barbaric rioters,” mentioned Mohammad Javad Haj Ali Akbari, a frontrunner of prayers which might be held on Fridays in Tehran earlier than a big gathering.

Amnesty Worldwide mentioned on Friday the federal government crackdown on demonstrations has to date led to the dying of no less than 52 folks, with lots of injured.

Regardless of the rising dying toll, movies posted on social media confirmed demonstrators calling for the autumn of the clerical institution.

Heavy taking pictures might be heard on some movies as protesters chanted “Dying to Khamenei”, referring to Supreme Chief Ayatollah Ali Khamenei.

Activist Twitter account 1500tasvir, which has greater than 150,000 followers, posted movies which it mentioned confirmed protests in cities together with Ahvaz within the southwest, Mashhad within the northeast and Zahedan within the southeast, the place folks have been mentioned to be attacking a police station.

Reuters couldn’t confirm the footage.

State tv mentioned “unidentified armed people” opened hearth on a police station in Zahedan, prompting safety forces to return hearth. Nineteen folks have been killed, together with safety forces, the provincial governor informed state tv. Twenty folks have been injured.

State media reported that the elite Revolutionary Guards’ intelligence chief in Sistan and Baluchistan province was killed in Zahedan throughout clashes with “terrorists”.

A video on social media confirmed assist being given to a number of injured protesters by their comrades, certainly one of whom was attempting to restrict bleeding from a person who gave the impression to be shot within the neck.

Amid experiences of a deliberate scholar strike, authorities mentioned Zahedan college will maintain distance studying till Oct. 8, the semi-official information company ISNA reported.

Web watchdog NetBlocks mentioned on Twitter that Stay community knowledge present a regional web disruption in impact in Zahedan.

Southeastern Iran, dwelling to the Baluch ethnic minority, has additionally seen demonstrators torching authorities places of work in no less than one metropolis. Protesters are angered by Amini’s dying and the case of an area teenage woman whose household, backed by an area cleric, alleges was raped by a senior policeman, based on experiences on social media.