Silence on Confronting Those Responsible for Ukrainian Plane Downing; Crackdown on Protesters: 30 Arrested

While no action has been taken against decision-makers regarding the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps’ admission of targeting the Ukrainian passenger plane, Iran’s judiciary announced the arrest of 30 protesters.

Gholamhossein Esmaili, spokesperson for Iran’s judiciary, announced at a press conference on Tuesday, December 24, that 30 people were arrested during recent protests.

This claim by the judicial official came just one day after a warning from Ebrahim Raisi, who said that security forces would not tolerate crossing red lines.

This threat from Iran’s chief judiciary official came as domestic and foreign criticism, as well as public anger that erupted following the Guard Corps’ admission of targeting the passenger plane, were directed at the Islamic Republic’s concealment, lies, and mismanagement.

Simultaneously with widespread protests in Iran, President Trump warned Iran’s officials about the Islamic Republic’s treatment of protesters, stating that “we should not witness another massacre of protesters and an internet blackout in Iran.”

The General Staff of the Armed Forces finally announced on Saturday that the Ukrainian passenger plane crashed after being hit by its own air defense missile. This came after the United States, Britain, and Canada emphasized this point for two days while Islamic Republic officials denied it.

Over the past two days, various cities in Iran have witnessed public protests against the targeting of the Ukrainian passenger plane and the killing of 176 passengers, including dozens of Canadian-Iranian citizens. Protesters, with harsh slogans against officials’ lies, called for Ayatollah Khamenei, Iran’s supreme military commander, to resign.

These protests prompted reactions from U.S. officials, with President Trump telling Iran’s leaders not to kill protesters.

Previously, the U.S. Secretary of State, by releasing a video of Iranian people’s protests following the admission of the passenger plane’s downing by the Guard Corps’ missile, emphasized that America stands with the Iranian people.

Mike Pompeo wrote on Twitter on Saturday, December 21: “The voice of the Iranian people is clear. They are fed up with the regime’s lies, corruption, incompetence, and the brutality of the Guard Corps under the command of thief Khamenei.”

Source: Voice of America