Continued Protests in Iran; Rallies in Isfahan and Ilam’s Western Gate
Protest demonstrations were held in Isfahan’s Baharestan and Ilam’s Western Gate. A large portrait of Ayatollah Khamenei, the leader of the Islamic Republic of Iran, was set on fire in Isfahan’s Baharestan. Protests in Iran began in Khuzestan and have been ongoing for 13 days.
On the evening of Tuesday, the 5th of Mordad (July 27), protests continued in several parts of Iran. In videos published on social media, protesters gathered at Vali-e Asr Square in Isfahan’s Baharestan and in Ilam’s Western Gate.
In one of the published videos attributed to the Isfahan Baharestan protests, one of Ayatollah Khamenei’s banners was set on fire.
In the city of Ilam’s Western Gate, protesters also protested the power outages by setting up roadblocks.
Iran’s protests began about two weeks ago in Khuzestan. People in various cities of Khuzestan province protested water shortages and the government’s mismanagement of the crisis.
In response to the people’s protests in Khuzestan, the government, instead of solving their problems, sent special guard forces and carried out suppression.
These protests later spread to provinces adjacent to Khuzestan and then to various parts of the country, including Tabriz, Tehran, Karaj, Bojnord, and Kermanshah.
Protesters in most of these demonstrations chanted slogans of “solidarity” with Khuzestan.
In videos published from the Isfahan Baharestan demonstration, the slogan “Khuzestan, Isfahan, solidarity, solidarity” was also chanted.
Protesters in Isfahan’s Baharestan also chanted slogans such as “Iranians with honor, support, support” and “We don’t want the Islamic Republic, we don’t want it.”
Before that, Mahdieh Township (Darre-Driz neighborhood) in Kermanshah witnessed for the second time people’s protest against the lack of water and electricity and support for the protests of people in Khuzestan.
According to the human rights organization “Henagoo,” 20 people have been arrested by security agencies in these protests and transferred to unknown locations. The organization has announced the identity of 9 of the arrested protesters.
Residents of the Darre-Driz neighborhood have stated that “since yesterday this neighborhood has become completely securitized and security agencies, in addition to arresting citizens, have searched their homes.”
A number of Tehran citizens also protested on the morning of Monday, the 4th of Mordad (July 26) on Republic Street. Protesters chanted slogans “Death to the dictator,” “Khamenei, be ashamed, abandon the country,” “Not Gaza, not Lebanon, I sacrifice my life for Iran,” and “Cannons, tanks, firecrackers, the clerics must disappear.”
Human rights organizations, including Amnesty International, reported that eight people were killed in the Khuzestan protests. The Islamic Republic of Iran, however, announced the number of deaths as four people, including one official.
Source: DW
