Iranian authorities warned protesters not to stage further protests, as major street demonstrations continue over the shootdown of a Ukrainian passenger airliner.
Ebrahim Raisi, Iran’s Chief Justice, issued a warning to protesters on Monday, saying “the agents of America and agents of foreign countries” want to use anger over Flight 752 to “compromise” Iran’s security.
The protests broke out after the Iranian military on Saturday said it unintentionally shot down a Ukrainian passenger airliner last week, killing all 176 people on board, after denying for days that it was responsible.
Authorities in Tehran deployed security forces, members of the Revolutionary Guard on motorcycles and plainclothes security men.
The heavy security presence was also reported in Tehran’s Azadi Square on Monday.
Several videos appeared to show security forces firing live ammunition and tear gas to disperse protests in the streets.
Jan 12 – Tehran, #Iran
This protester says the regime forces throw tear gas at people. The man chants against Khamenei saying: "You will have the same fate as Gaddafi!"#IranProtests pic.twitter.com/TrbPQ5Z3vB— IRAN HRM (@IranHrm) January 12, 2020
Dozens of protesters have been arrested so far.
Mohammad Esmaili, a senior photography students at Tehran University was arrested during yesterday's #IranProtests
His condition &whereabouts are still unknown.
Thousands of people were protesting #Iran regime's denial that it shot down a Ukrainian jetliner. pic.twitter.com/AqDukGGw78— IRAN HRM (@IranHrm) January 13, 2020
Salah Gharibi, a student of veterinary medicine at Razi University of Kermanshah, W #Iran was arrested during yesterday's #IranProtests
His condition &whereabouts are still unknown.
Thousands of people were protesting the regime's denial that it shot down a Ukrainian jetliner. pic.twitter.com/c7Go2BHBuW— IRAN HRM (@IranHrm) January 13, 2020
Mohammad Amin Hosseini, a law student at Gorgan University, was arrested during #IranProtests2020 last night. His current status is unknown.
Thousands of #Iranian people and students were protesting over Tehran’s admission that it shot down a passenger #UkrainianPlane pic.twitter.com/561COmCojP— IRAN HRM (@IranHrm) January 13, 2020
Earlier, the Iranian regime brutally cracked down on nationwide protests that erupted on November 16 after the regime tripled the price of gasoline. At least 1,500 protesters were killed, around 4,000 were wounded and injured and 12,000 were detained.
