More details on the mass arrests and repression of students in Iran
According to news published on social media, the identities of at least 18 students who were arrested during recent protests at Tehran University have been confirmed.
The Telegram channel of the country's student union councils, publishing news about recent arrests, confirmed the identities of at least 18 students who were arrested on Monday, November 18, during a protest rally by students at Tehran University and Allameh Tabatabaei University.
Earlier, this Telegram channel announced in a report on Tuesday, November 10, that at least 40 to 50 students from Tehran University were arrested in the protest rally that continued until 8:00 PM on Monday, and some of these students were transferred to "Fashafoyeh Prison and some to Evin Prison."
According to the report, "As the dark hours of the night approached, several ambulances containing plainclothes officers entered the university and arrested a number of students and placed them in the ambulances."
According to this Telegram channel, a number of these students, including Ebrahim Garanpayeh, a student of Fine Arts at the University of Tehran, Mehran Ghandi, a student of Literature and Humanities at the University of Tehran, Amir Forsati, a student of Fine Arts at the University of Tehran, Narges Bagheri, a student of the University of Arts at the University of Tehran, and Ali Fazelzadeh, another of these students, were temporarily released.
Public protests began on Friday, November 14, after the sudden release of news of the increase in gasoline prices, in various cities of Iran, including Mashhad, Khuzestan, Ahvaz, Khorramshahr, and Behbahan, and gradually spread to all regions of the country. However, the protesters' slogans soon caught the attention of senior officials of the Islamic Republic. Within a few days, various news and videos of protest rallies, people's slogans against the government, buildings and vehicles being set on fire, and police shooting and severe repression were published in various cities.
Following the popular protests, students also held protest rallies at various universities, including the universities of Tehran, Tabriz, Babol, and Urmia.
The United States says the Islamic Republic spends its wealth on supporting terrorist groups and destabilizing the Middle East instead of its people. The United States has also repeatedly condemned institutionalized financial corruption and the looting of Iran's God-given assets by regime affiliates, citing them as major contributors to Iran's economic and financial problems.
For example, not long ago, US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo said in several tweets about the Islamic Republic's officials that instead of helping the people, they were involved in corruption.
Source: Voice of America
