Public Security Red Line in Protests: Iranian Spokesman
TEHRAN (Tasnim) – Iran’s law grants people the right to hold peaceful civil demonstrations, spokesman for the administration said, adding that acts of violence that threaten the public and national security amount to unrest and are quelled by riot police in any country.
Speaking at a weekly press conference in Tehran on Tuesday, Mohammad Baqer Nobakht said the Charter of Citizens’ Rights has allowed all Iranians -for or against President Hassan Rouhani’s administration- to voice their protest within the framework of law.
On the recent turmoil in some Iranian cities that led to acts of vandalism and deaths, the spokesperson said all countries counter unrest to protect their public and national security.
Like all other countries, the riot police in Iran deal with the rioters trying to harm the national security and damage public and private properties, he added.
Nobakht also called for calm and unity to address problems, saying the administration feels sorrow for the deaths and damages to the properties of citizens in the recent unrest.
In the recent demonstrations in Iran, 10 people have been pronounced dead, while unconfirmed reports suggest that the death toll has risen to 21 on Tuesday.
Riots broke out is some cities as people had held peaceful rallies in protest at price hikes and economic woes.
Security forces have arrested a number of leading rioters and mercenaries affiliated with the foreign intelligence services, officials say.
On Tuesday, Leader of the Islamic Revolution Ayatollah Seyed Ali Khamenei highlighted the role of enemies in the recent events in Iran, saying the adversaries have employed various tools at their disposal, including money, weapon, politics and security organizations, to harm the Islamic Republic.
