Biden: US imposes greater costs on those responsible for suppressing protests in Iran
US President Joe Biden warned on Monday that Washington would impose "further costs" on the Islamic Republic in response to the violent crackdown on "peaceful protests" in Iran.
In a statement, Mr. Biden expressed deep concern over “reports of the violent crackdown on peaceful protests in Iran,” saying, “The United States stands with Iranian women and all Iranian citizens who have inspired the world with their courage.”
Iran has been the scene of nationwide protests following the death of Mahsa Amini, a 22-year-old girl, in the custody of the Ershad Patrol, which has been met with repression by government forces.
According to statistics from the Oslo-based Iranian Human Rights Organization, the death toll from the crackdown over the past two weeks has reached 133. During this time, the Islamic Republic's security forces have also arrested hundreds of civil society, political, student, journalist, and lawyer activists.
"The United States will impose additional costs this week on perpetrators of violence against peaceful protests [by the Iranian people]. We will continue our efforts to hold Iranian officials accountable and to support the rights of Iranians to protest freely," Joe Biden said in a statement.
The US President did not specify in his statement what measures he intends to take against the perpetrators and those in charge of suppressing popular protests in Iran. However, he promised that Washington would work to provide easier and safer access to the Internet for the Iranian people.
Hours earlier, the White House spokesman had strongly condemned the widespread repression of peaceful protests in Iran by security forces.
Referring to the crackdown on Sunday night at Sharif University of Technology, Karin Jean-Pierre said: "We are concerned and horrified by reports of violent repression and mass arrests of students during peaceful protests; students are rightly concerned about the Islamic Republic's treatment of women and girls and the violent suppression of popular protests."
Plainclothes forces in Iran attacked protesting students at Sharif University in Tehran on Sunday, injuring many and transporting dozens of students to an unknown location in security vans.
Source: Radio Farda
