Mass rallies in Iran against riots, Raisi vows to punish perpetrators

By Al Mayadeen English
Source: Agencies + Al Mayadeen Net
25 Sep 14:12
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The Public Prosecution Office in the city of Sari, Mazandaran Province, northern Iran, announces the arrest of members of ISIS and the Komala Party during the recent riots.

The participants chanted slogans denouncing the US, Britain, and the Israeli occupation.

Massive rallies roamed the streets of a number of Iranian cities Sunday morning in support of the Islamic Republic and rejection of the riots.

The rallies included several cities such as Mashhad, Shiraz, Qom, Gilan, Bojnurd, Qazvin, Isfahan, and Yasuj.

The pro-Iran rallies come in rejection of the riots, infringement on sanctities and the Holy Quran, and attacks on public property, which took place during the past few days following the death of 22-year-old Iranian journalist Mahsa Amini.

The participants chanted slogans denouncing the US, Britain, and the Israeli occupation, as well as other slogans in support of Iran and condemnation of acts of sabotage.

Al Mayadeen correspondent mentioned that pro-Iran rallies are expected Sunday in Tehran in Enqelab (Revolution) Square.

On Saturday, Iranian news agency Tasnim reported that riots in Iran went down by 90% all over the country by Friday night, attributing the decrease to pro-government protesters that took to the streets against the ongoing riots.

Mass demonstrations took place in Tehran and Iranian cities on Friday, raising slogans in support of Iran and rejecting the riots that politicized and took advantage of the death of Mahsa Amini.

Iranian Armed Forces warn "anti-revolutionary organizations"

In response to the death of Amini, Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi called her family last week and confirmed that he had ordered a thorough investigation into the incident.

"Your daughter is like my own daughter, and I feel that this incident happened to one of my loved ones. Please accept my condolences," Raisi told Amini's family.

President Raisi to the family of the late #MahsaAmini : I have ordered the incident to be investigated carefully so that no right is violated https://t.co/9tqeoV5SBM pic.twitter.com/EaDRS2y4pf
— Government of the Islamic Republic of Iran (@Iran_GOV) September 18, 2022

Similarly, the Iranian Armed Forces offered "condolences on the death of the late Mahsa Amini" but warned "anti-revolutionary organizations" that they "will not allow for the violation of security in the country, and will firmly confront anyone who destabilizes."

Mahsa Amini's father: Riots "not for our sake"

On his part, Amjad Amini, the father of the late young journalist, said his family "have not yet been informed of the results of forensic tests on the causes of their daughter's death."

Amini stressed that "the rallies and demonstrations held in a number of Iranian provinces after Mahsa's death have nothing to do with her family" and "were not for our sake," noting that he and the rest of Mahsa's family are "dissatisfied with these matters" and that "the family's only desire is to deal with the ones directly responsible for their daughter's death and punish them."

ISIS and Komala Party members arrested during recent riots

In a related context, the Public Prosecution Office in the city of Sari in Mazandaran province, northern Iran, arrested members belonging to ISIS and the Komala party during the recent riots in the city.

IRNA news agency quoted the Iranian prosecutor as saying that elements belonging to ISIS and the Komala Party were arrested during the recent riots in the province, and they will be handed over to the competent judicial authorities to be tried along with the leaders of these disturbances.

The news agency also reported that 450 people were arrested during the recent riots in Mazandaran province, pointing out that rioters attacked government facilities and public funds in the implementation of the instructions of the enemies of the Islamic Revolution.

IRNA cited the prosecution as saying that the rioters' attacks on police and security forces in Mazandaran led to the injury of 76 people.

Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi vowed to punish the perpetrators who stand behind the "heinous crime" of killing a cadre of the Popular Mobilization Forces (Basij), who was stabbed to death by rioters during the recent unrest in East Azerbaijan Province.

On Saturday, IRNA cited the Iranian President as emphasizing the need to distinguish between protest and disturbance of public order and security, stressing the importance of pursuing and dealing decisively with perpetrators.