US State Department Spokesman: We Support Iranians’ Right to Peaceful Assembly
The US State Department spokesman announced in a message that the US government supports the right to “peaceful assemblies” and “freedom of speech” of the Iranian people.
Ned Price on Monday, April 15, in a Twitter message called Iranian protesters “brave” individuals who “stand up to defend their rights” and said: “The Iranian people have the right to hold their government accountable.”
He further added: “We support their rights to peaceful assembly and freedom of expression both online and offline without fear of violence and retaliation.”
Mr. Price did not provide details on how to support Iranian protesters.
Victoria Coates, former deputy national security advisor to the US, also on April 6, a few days after the start of a new round of popular protests in Iran, which sparked in Khuzestan, tweeted: “If Elon Musk can get Starlink to Ukraine, why can’t we do the same for Khuzestan and let these brave Iranians stay connected?”
Ms. Coates’ reference was to the activation of Starlink satellite internet for Ukraine by American company SpaceX in March 2022.
Ten days after the start of protests by the people of Khuzestan against price hikes, the scope of these protests has expanded in recent days to some other Iranian cities.
The common point of suppressing protests in all these cities is the internet shutdown by the government to minimize protesters’ ability to communicate information.
This is while state media provide no coverage of popular protests and most local officials and parliamentary representatives remain silent about these protests.
Meanwhile, Shima Bozorgi, deputy director of the Phoenix Project, under the patronage of Prince Reza Pahlavi, on Friday, April 13, said that Iranians abroad have announced their readiness to cover the costs of internet provision in Iran through Starlink satellite internet.
Ms. Bozorgi said at this meeting: “With the events happening in Iran these days, people need unfiltered internet with full access and high speed.”
The current protests have occurred following a significant increase in food prices in Iran and have mainly affected western regions of Iran, including cities such as Ahvaz, Dezful and Andimeshk in Khuzestan, Borujerd and Dorud in Lorestan, Jonqan and Farsan in Chaharmahal and Bakhtiari province, and Dehdasht in Kohgiluyeh and Boyer-Ahmad province.
According to reports from eastern Iran, Nishapur was the scene of protests on Saturday morning, April 14, and on Sunday evening, April 15, protesters in Shahrekord, the center of Chaharmahal and Bakhtiari province, took to the streets, and simultaneously mobile and home internet in the city were also cut off.
Videos released so far from these protests show that Iranian security forces have in some cases resorted to firing tear gas and using batons. Gunfire can also be heard in many of these videos, but it is unclear whether the shots were rubber bullets or not. However, in recent days, multiple videos have been released showing injured and even killed protesting citizens by military bullets and buckshot in various cities.
In many of these videos, it can be heard that protesters chanted slogans against Ali Khamenei, the leader of the Islamic Republic, and the entirety of Iran’s current government.
Source: Radio Farda
