Iran toughens crackdown as some oil workers reported to join protests

DUBAI, Oct 10 (Reuters) – Iranian safety forces intensified a crackdown on anti-government protests in a number of Kurdish cities on Monday, as demonstrations elsewhere in Iran unfold into the nation’s very important power sector.

Protests have swept Iran since Mahsa Amini, a 22-year-old from Iran’s Kurdish area, died on Sept. 16 whereas being held for “inappropriate attire”, marking one of many boldest challenges to the Islamic Republic because the 1979 revolution.

While college college students have performed a pivotal function within the protests with dozens of universities on strike, unconfirmed experiences on social media confirmed workers at Abadan and Kangan oil refineries and the Bushehr Petrochemical Project had joined in.

Iran’s oil ministry was not instantly obtainable to remark.

A mix of mass protests and strikes by oil workers and Bazaar retailers helped to sweep the clergy to energy within the Iranian revolution 4 a long time in the past.

However, analysts mentioned that Iran’s clerical rulers will probably comprise the unrest for now, and prospects of the upcoming daybreak of a brand new political order are slim. learn extra

A video on Twitter confirmed dozens of workers had blocked the highway to the Bushehr petrochemical plant, in Assaluyeh on Iran’s Gulf coast, chanting “Death to the Dictator”.

Tensions have been particularly excessive between authorities and the Kurdish minority which human rights teams say has lengthy been oppressed – a cost the Islamic Republic denies.

Human rights group Hengaw reported a heavy presence of armed safety forces within the Kurdish cities of Sanandaj, Saqez and Divandareh on Monday. It mentioned a minimum of 5 Kurdish residents have been killed and over 150 injured in protests since Saturday.

Videos shared on social media confirmed protests in dozens of cities throughout Iran early on Monday, with fierce clashes between protesters and riot police in cities and cities throughout Amini’s native Kurdistan province. Iranian social media postings urged for mass protests on Wednesday.

The Iranian authorities have blamed the violence on an array of enemies together with armed Iranian Kurdish dissidents, with the Revolutionary Guards attacking their bases in neighbouring Iraq plenty of occasions through the newest unrest.

“READY TO DIE”

Iran has a observe report of placing down unrest amongst its greater than 10 million Kurds, a part of a Kurdish minority whose aspirations for autonomy have additionally led to conflicts with authorities in Turkey, Iraq and Syria.

Heavy gunfire could possibly be heard in a number of movies shared on Twitter by the activist 1500tasvir. A video confirmed a number of explosions creating blinding flashes in a neighbourhood of Sanandaj, the capital of the Kurdistan province.

Activists mentioned on social media that a number of individuals, together with two youngsters, have been killed by safety forces within the province. Reuters couldn’t confirm the movies and posts.

Unfazed by teargas, golf equipment, and, in lots of instances, dwell ammunition utilized by the safety forces, in accordance to rights teams, protesters throughout Iran have stick with demonstrators burning photos of Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, calling for the downfall of the clerical institution.

At least 185 individuals, together with 19 minors, have been killed, a whole lot injured and 1000’s have been arrested by safety forces, in accordance to rights teams. Blaming the protests on Iran’s international foes, authorities mentioned “rioters” have killed a minimum of 20 members of the safety forces.

School ladies throughout Iran have joined the protests, movies on social media confirmed.

“Hey world, hear me: I want a revolution. I want to live freely and I am ready to die for it,” mentioned a 17-year-old protester in a central Iranian metropolis, whose identify and placement couldn’t be revealed by Reuters due to safety issues.

“Instead of dying every minute under this regime’s repression, I prefer to die with their (security forces) bullets in protests for freedom.”

Writing by Parisa Hafezi; Editing by Tom Perry, William Maclean and David Evans

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