US State Department Spokesperson: We support Iranians' right to peaceful assembly
The US State Department spokesperson announced in a message that the US government supports the right of the Iranian people to "peaceful assembly" and "freedom of expression."
On Monday, May 16, Ned Price called Iranian protesters "brave" people who are "standing up for their rights" in a Twitter message, saying, "The Iranian people have the right to hold their government accountable."
He added: "We support their rights to peaceful assembly and freedom of expression online and offline without fear of violence or reprisal."
Mr. Price has not explained how he supports Iranian protesters.
Former US Deputy National Security Advisor Victoria Coats also tweeted on May 8, a few days after the start of a new round of public protests in Iran, which were sparked in Khuzestan: "If Elon Musk can deliver Starlink to Ukraine, why can't we do the same for Khuzestan and let these brave Iranians connect?"
Ms. Coats is referring to the activation of the Starlink satellite internet for Ukraine by the American company SpaceX in March 2021.
Ten days after the people of Khuzestan began protesting against price increases, the scale of these protests has spread to some other cities in Iran in recent days.
The common point of the suppression of protests in all of these cities is the government's disconnection of the internet to minimize the ability of protesters to communicate.
This is despite the fact that state media has no coverage of the popular protests, and the majority of local officials and members of parliament are not saying anything about these protests.
Meanwhile, Shima Bozorgy, deputy director of the Phoenix Project, sponsored by Prince Reza Pahlavi, said on Friday, May 13, that Iranians abroad have expressed their readiness to cover the cost of internet coverage in Iran through Starlink satellite internet.
A senior lady said at the meeting: "With the events happening in Iran these days, people need unfiltered internet, with full access and high speed."
The current protests have occurred in the wake of a significant increase in food prices in Iran, and have affected most of western Iran, including the cities of Izeh, Dezful, and Andimeshk in Khuzestan, Borujerd and Dorud in Lorestan, Jhunqan and Farsan in Chaharmahal and Bakhtiari Province, and Dehdasht in Kohgiluyeh and Boyer-Ahmad Province.
According to reports from eastern Iran, Neyshabur was the scene of protests on Saturday morning, May 14, and on Sunday evening, May 15, protesters took to the streets in Shahrekord , the capital of Chaharmahal and Bakhtiari province, and at the same time, mobile and home internet was also cut off in this city.
Videos released so far from these protests show Iranian security forces resorting to tear gas and batons in some cases. Gunfire can also be heard in many of these videos, but it is not clear whether the shots were fired in the air. However, in recent days, numerous videos have been released showing protesters being injured and even killed by live ammunition and shotgun pellets in various cities.
In many of these videos, protesters can be heard chanting slogans against Ali Khamenei, the leader of the Islamic Republic, and the entire current Iranian government.
Source: Radio Farda
