Rallies in Mashhad, Nishapur, and Kashmar; Protesters Chanted Against Price Hikes

Reports from Mashhad, Nishapur, and Kashmar indicate that rallies were held on Thursday in protest against price increases, Hassan Rouhani, and what protesters called a “dictator.” According to some reports, tear gas was fired at protesters in Mashhad.

According to some Telegram channels that published videos of these protests, the Mashhad rally was organized following calls from Telegram groups in the city; however, the planning details of these gatherings cannot yet be independently verified.

Based on videos published on some Telegram channels, including the “Bahar Government” channel close to Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, hundreds of participants gathered in front of the Mashhad City Hall building in the Martyrs’ Square of the city, and while protesting price hikes, chanted slogans including: “Death to the dictator,” “Death to Rouhani,” “You disgraced Islam, you humiliated the people,” “Police, go catch the thieves,” “Not Gaza, not Lebanon, my life for Iran,” and “Don’t be afraid, don’t be afraid, we are all together.”

Protesters in Nishapur, who held a march, chanted slogans protesting price increases and unemployment: “Oh young Iranian, rise up, rise up,” “The thief plunders, the government supports,” and “Leave Syria alone, think about our condition.”

Based on a video published on the Telegram channel of Bahar Government, close to Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, a group marched in the city of Kashmar against price increases with slogans.

The rally called “No to Price Hikes” was held on Thursday at a time when, according to ISNA news agency, the Mashhad governorate on Wednesday, the 6th of Dey, referring to the spread of “certain rumors in cyberspace about the gathering of Mashhad citizens in reaction to the price increase of certain goods,” announced that “no organization, association, or group had submitted a request for gathering and no permit has been issued in this regard.”

The Public Relations Office of the Governor’s Deputy and Mashhad Governorate had stated that “to prevent possible misuse by ill-wishers,” it informs that “any possible action in this regard is illegal.”

According to the Bahar Government Telegram channel, the Mashhad rally was organized following calls from Telegram groups in the city.

Meanwhile, according to the state IRNA news agency, the General Department of Education of Razavi Khorasan announced on Wednesday that due to increased air pollution in the metropolitan area of Mashhad, schools in the seven districts of Mashhad and Tabadkan were closed on Thursday.

Source: Radio Farda