Official Dismisses Media Report on Death Toll in Iran Riots
TEHRAN (Tasnim) – An Iranian security official rejected a Reuters report claiming that some 1,500 people have been killed in the recent unrest in Iran after an increase in the price of gasoline.
The head of the Information and Communications Secretariat of Iran’s Supreme National Security Council on Monday dismissed Reuters’ report, saying such claims were based on “false propaganda.”
“Such types of news writing and making accusations are by no means a complicated task. These claims are leveled based on a set of premeditated psychological warfare and lack credibility,” Alireza Zarifian Yeganeh told Tasnim.
“The protestations that Reuters made in its report are totally worthless not only in terms of security issues and intelligence but in the field of news and media, and will damage the already-tarnished credibility of this agency,” he added.
His comments came after Reuters claimed in a Monday report that “About 1,500 people were killed during less than two weeks of unrest (in Iran) that started on November 15, including at least 17 teenagers and about 400 women as well as some members of the security forces and police.”
Reuters claimed that the figures had been provided “by three Iranian interior ministry officials,” without further elaboration or naming any of them, Press TV reported.
In mid-November, the Iranian government raised gasoline prices in order to moderate the national consumption rate.
The move prompted protests in a number of cities that went largely peaceful but turned violent when armed riotous elements took advantage of the situation to vandalize public and state property, and attack civilians and security forces alike.
Iran has arrested over 100 ringleaders and masterminds of the violent attacks.