The Security Council of Iran announced this Saturday that “more than 200 people lost their lives” during protests in the Islamic Republic since September and guaranteed that the security forces will act more actively in the face of any demonstration.
In a statement posted on the official website of the Interior Ministry, which oversees the Security Council, the body said the 200 deaths occurred in “terrorist attacks” during riots sparked by armed elements belonging to separatist groups.
This is the first time since the protests began on September 16 that Iran has published official figures on the dead.
“As for the protesters, the Islamic Republic of Iran treated them with the utmost tolerance,” but “the enemy’s plan for the continuation of the riots and the system’s strategic patience” caused great damage, the statement added.
The document also warns that the Security Council “will act more decisively” and that “the security forces and the police, with all their strength and determination, will not allow more than a few disruptors, with the support of foreign intelligence agencies, jeopardize the public safety of society.”
“Therefore, any disturbance of public order and illegal assembly at any level and place will be dealt with with determination and without tolerance,” he added.
This statement comes at a time when new protests against the regime have been called for Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday, in an initiative that has gone viral on social media.
The protests in Iran began on September 16, after the death, in police custody, of the Kurdish Mahsa Amini, 22, who had been arrested for allegedly wearing the Islamic headscarf incorrectly.
Foreign non-governmental organizations (NGOs) such as the Oslo-based Iran Human Rights estimate that the police crackdown has already resulted in 448 deaths.
Additionally, at least 2,000 people have been accused of various crimes for their participation in the demonstrations, of which six have been sentenced to death so far.
PS // TDI
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Source: Observadora
