US Secretary of State expresses deep concern about Iranian regime's violence against protesting people
In the first direct response to the protests in Iran, the US Secretary of State announced America's deep concern over the Iranian regime's violence against demonstrators.
Mike Pompeo wrote on Twitter on Sunday night, August 5, Washington time (Monday morning, Iran time): "We are deeply concerned about reports of the Iranian regime's violence against unarmed civilians."
He added: "The United States supports the right of the Iranian people to protest against the regime's corruption and repression, without fear of punishment. We call on the regime in Iran to respect the human rights of its people."
Mr. Pompeo's reaction comes as widespread protests in major Iranian cities in recent days have been met with violence by police, security forces, and the Basij, and even in the city of Karaj, "martial law" was implicitly declared. It is said that one person was also killed in the Karaj protests.
In the religious city of Qom, a traditional base for clerics, protesters have chanted slogans against the government.
Previously, the US State Department's Persian Twitter handle addressed the new wave of protests in Iran in a separate tweet, writing that the United States, while supporting the ignored voice of the Iranian people, hopes for freedom for Iranians.
The US State Department's Persian Twitter account, which posts the views of the US government, wrote on Friday, August 2: "We are closely following the recent protests in Isfahan, Karaj, Shiraz, Tehran, and other cities in Iran. As Secretary of State Pompeo said, "The bitter irony of Iran's economic situation is that the regime is busy lining its own pockets while its people are crying out for jobs, change, and opportunity."
In another tweet, the US State Department's Persian Twitter account emphasized: "While it is ultimately up to the Iranian people to determine the course of their country, the United States supports the voices of the Iranian people, who have been ignored for too long. It is America's hope that the next 40 years of Iran will not be one of oppression and fear, but one of freedom and fulfillment for the Iranian people."
The new wave of protests, this time in major Iranian cities, began on Monday and continued until Friday.
The recent protests began under the pretext of inflation and the devaluation of the rial, but targeted the government and its leaders.
In recent days, protesters have chanted harsh slogans, including "Khamenei, be ashamed, leave the country," "Speak Iranian, shout for your rights," "Treading on Islam, humiliating the people," "Death to the revolutionaries," "Death to the dictator," and "The tank cannon is exploding, the mullah must disappear."
On Friday, several video reports from demonstrations in Tehran, Shiraz, and Karaj were sent to Voice of America.
Following protests in at least ten major Iranian cities on Thursday, footage and reports sent to VOA showed officers attacking protesters in some of these cities. In some of the footage, protesters chanted harsh slogans against the Islamic Republic's leader.
On Thursday, for the first time since the massive demonstrations in January, Tehran also witnessed protests in several locations. In the Iranian capital, protesters gathered in Vanak and Valiasr intersection.
Protesters took to the streets in Shiraz, Isfahan, Mashhad, Hamedan, Karaj, Kermanshah, Ahvaz, and Varamin.
On Thursday evening, it was first reported from Tehran that protesters were attacked by mostly Basij officers.
As night fell, the officers' attacks intensified. Several videos show officers protesting against demonstrators in Gohardasht, Karaj.
