Iran simmers,12 die as protests continue
Agitators try to capture police stations, military bases
Tehran: At least 12 people were killed in the ongoing protests in Iran. Armed protesters tried to capture police stations and military bases, state TV reported on Monday.
The protests began on Thursday in Mashhad over economic issues and have since expanded to several cities, with some protesters chanting agai-nst the government and the supreme leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei.
The state TV report said 10 were killed during clashes on Sunday night, without elaborating. Two demonstrators were kill-ed during a protest in western Iran late on Saturday.
“Some armed protesters tried to take over some police stations and military bases, but faced serious resistance from security forces,” state TV reported. It did not say where those attacks occurred.
State TV aired images of burning buildings, as well as an ambulance crew trying to aid a wounded person amid a crowd of shouting people. It also showed a fire truck that appeared to have been attacked and burned. Later on Monday, state TV said six people were killed in the western town of Tuyserkan, 295 km southwest of Tehran. It said three others were killed in the town of Shahinshahr, 315 km south of Tehran. It did not say where the 10th person was killed.
On Sunday, Iran blocked access to Instagram and the popular messaging app Telegram used by activists to organise.
President Hassan Rouhani acknowledged the public’s anger over the Islamic Republic's flagging economy, though he and others warned that the government wouldn’t hesitate to crack down on those it considers lawbreakers.
“I demand all prosecutors across the country to get involved and approach should be strong,” he said.
US President Donald Trump, who has been tweeting in support of protesters in Iran, continued into the New Year, describing the country as “failing at every level despite the terrible deal made with them by the Obama Administration.”
“The great Iranian people have been repressed for many years,” he wrote. “They are hungry for food & for freedom. Along with human rights, the wealth of Iran is being looted. TIME FOR CHANGE!”.