Iran’s President Ebrahim Raisi has confirmed the intransigent course in dealing with opponents of the Islamic system of rule. “Our arms are open to those (protesters) who have been blinded by foreign propaganda, but we have no mercy on the unapologetic,” Raisi said at a religious ceremony at Tehran University.
Raisi did not elaborate on his threat. However, more than 20 demonstrators are on a death list from the judiciary. They are accused of “waging war against God”, which, according to Islamic legal opinion, carries a death sentence. Two demonstrators have already been executed in connection with this.
Government also massively restricts the internet
For more than three months, people across Iran have been protesting against the Islamic system. Although fewer people have taken to the streets in recent weeks, the protests have continued in a different form. More and more women are ignoring the obligatory headscarf and are no longer afraid of the notorious moral police. In protest, the turbans of clerics are repeatedly knocked off their heads. Videos showing such scenes have been widely shared on the internet. In order to prevent forms of protest in social media, the government continues to restrict the internet massively and on some days it shuts it down completely.
More than 500 dead so far
Tehran sees “Iran’s enemies” and their domestic allies behind the protests and accuses them of trying to force a change of political power. The Iranian leadership sees the USA and Israel as enemies, but also Saudi Arabia, Great Britain, France and Germany.
According to Iranian activists and human rights groups abroad, there have been more than 500 deaths in connection with the protests. Mainly demonstrators were killed, but also police and security forces.
