Mike Pence: We Stand With the People of Iran
Mike Pence, Vice President of the United States, criticized the Iranian government’s approach to recent protests on Monday, August 6, and stated that the United States stands with the people.
The U.S. Vice President wrote on his Twitter account: The use of violence by the Iranian government against its people is unacceptable. Iranians have the right to oppose a government that spends billions of dollars supporting ruthless dictators and terrorists abroad, while ignoring its own people’s voices calling for employment, opportunity, and freedom. We stand with the people of Iran!
Mike Pence made this tweet in response to a tweet by Mike Pompeo, U.S. Secretary of State, who expressed concern yesterday regarding “reports of violent acts by the Iranian government against unarmed citizens” during the recent protests.
Mike Pompeo also emphasized that he supports the right of the Iranian people to protest against “government corruption and oppression, without fear of retaliation.”
The U.S. Secretary of State also called on the Iranian government to “respect human rights” of its people.
In recent weeks, following the collapse of the rial’s value, economic hardship, inflation, and the daily rise in foreign currency and gold coin prices, Tehran and several other Iranian cities have witnessed protest demonstrations. These protests initially began with economic slogans but as the demonstrations continued, the main chants of the protesters have been against the Islamic Republic’s leader, the government, and the clergy.
It is reported that a 26-year-old young man was killed during protests in the city of Karaj.
This is while an Iranian government official claims that the young man was shot and killed by a firearm from among the “gathering protesters” and “from behind.”
Islamic Republic officials have not accepted responsibility for the deaths of most of the protesters killed during the 2009 protests, December 2017 protests, and other similar cases, and have consistently attributed the shootings against protesters to “unknown individuals,” “agents of Western security services,” and individuals among the protesters themselves.
Islamic Republic officials have not yet announced the number of arrests from the recent protests. However, according to a parliament representative, 3,700 people were arrested during last December’s protests.
Source: Radio Farda
