After calm in Khorramshahr; Islamic Republic arrests 10 protesters
Three days after protests in Khorramshahr over the water crisis, judicial authorities in the Islamic Republic of Iran announced the arrest of 10 protesters and the "identification" of 35 others.
The Mizan News Agency, affiliated with the Islamic Republic's judiciary, wrote that these individuals were "the ones responsible for spreading calls for chaos and abusing public information."
Since last Thursday, Khorramshahr and Abadan have witnessed peaceful gatherings of people protesting the poor state of drinking water. On Saturday night, officers opened fire on the people, injuring several people.
The arrest of protesters in Khorramshahr comes at a time when the US Secretary of State had previously criticized the Islamic Republic of Iran for ignoring the rights of protesters.
Mike Pompeo tweeted on Thursday evening, June 11, Washington time (Friday morning, Iran time): "Five thousand Iranians were arrested for the January protests. 30 women were arrested for protesting the mandatory hijab."
He added: "Hundreds of dervishes, a number of environmental activists, 400 Ahwazis, 30 Isfahan farmers; all were imprisoned by the criminal Iranian regime."
At the end of his message, the US Secretary of State emphasized that the Iranian people deserve respect for their human rights.
As protests in Iran have increased, arrests have increased. Although the constitution of the Islamic Republic of Iran states that protests and gatherings are free as long as they are not armed and do not violate Islam, recent protests have been met with a harsh response from the Iranian government.
The United States has begun to strongly criticize the policies of the Islamic Republic since the Trump administration came to power.
President Trump withdrew from the Iran nuclear deal in May, saying the Islamic Republic had violated the deal with its missile program and regional destabilization. Under Resolution 2231, Iran is not allowed to test ballistic missiles capable of carrying nuclear warheads, but the Islamic Republic has repeatedly tested missiles in the past two years. Iran also says its missile program is for defense, but Iranian parts and equipment have been seen in the hands of Yemen's Houthi group and Lebanon's Hezbollah.
US officials say that the Islamic Republic of Iran is using the benefits of the JCPOA and Iran to help terrorist groups abroad instead of the people of this country.
Previously, Mike Pompeo set 12 conditions for the Islamic Republic of Iran, and if they are met, Iran and the United States will negotiate a new agreement again.
Water crisis in Iran
The water crisis in Iran has intensified following severe droughts in recent years, excessive use of groundwater resources, and mismanagement of water resources.
The escalating crisis comes at a time when some experts believe that there is a solution to the water shortage in Iran and that action should be taken as soon as possible to achieve it.
However, at the height of environmental problems and the water shortage crisis, Kaveh Madani, a water resources expert and professor at Imperial College London, who had returned to Iran at the invitation of the government and was working as the deputy director of research at the Environmental Protection Agency, was forced to leave the country last March due to pressure from security institutions.
Source: Voice of America
