Iranian Officials Blame 'Enemies' As The Youth Rebellion Contiues

Special Envoy to Monitor and Combat Antisemitism Deborah E. Lipstadt said late Monday that Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei "can blame ‘Zionists,' the US, or anyone else, but it’s clear to the world and the Iranian people that his regime’s violent misogyny ignited these women-led protests.”

She was referring to Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei’s first reaction to ongoing unrest on Monday, saying that the protests were planned and not staged by "ordinary Iranians…I am saying explicitly and clearly, riots and insecurity were planned by America and the usurper, fake Zionist regime,” said the aging 83-year-old Khamenei who has ruled for 33 years. 

Echoing Khamenei’s remarks, Iran’s President Ebrahim Raisi said on Tuesday the ongoing protests – triggered by the death in custody of 22-year-old Mahsa Amini -- are a riot organized by the US and Israel in order to prevent the Islamic Republic’s progress.

Also on Monday, US Congressman Brad Sherman (D-Calif) said that “Today the Ayatollah erroneously tried to blame the US and Israel for Iran’s protests.”

Referring to a bipartisan and bicameral resolution to commemorate Mahsa Amini's death and to convey US support for the protests, the representative added that “through resolutions like this, the world is showing that the truth behind the protests is clear, and that the support behind those calling for equality and justice in Iran is resolute.”

Biden issued a statement on Monday saying he remains “gravely concerned about reports of the intensifying violent crackdown on peaceful protestors in Iran, including students and women, who are demanding their equal rights and basic human dignity.”

But the President went further and said, "This week, the United States will be imposing further costs on perpetrators of violence against peaceful protestors. We will continue holding Iranian officials accountable and supporting the rights of Iranians to protest freely."

Earlier in the day, Iran’s Supreme leader Ali Khamenei had already blamed more than two weeks of street protests on the United States, which he again labeled as “the enemy”.

The only response by Iran was a low-key statement by the spokesman of the foreign ministry Nasser Kanaani on Instagram, where he repeated customary criticism of US ignoring human rights in “Palestine and Yemen”.

Many Iranians saw Biden’s statement as a show of support that was more than what they had expected. Iranian activists and many others who reject the Islamic Republic do not forget President Barack Obama’s initial meek response to large protests in 2009. But Biden sounded a bit more resolute, given the fact that his administration has been negotiating for a year and a half to revive the Obama-era nuclear deal known as JCPOA and lift the sanctions imposed on Iran.

“For decades, Iran’s regime has denied fundamental freedoms to its people and suppressed the aspirations of successive generations through intimidation, coercion, and violence,” he said.

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Gabriel Noronha, a former Trump administration official, reminded the public on Twitter that Secretary of State Antony Blinken in December 2017 had endorsed an advice to Donald Trump to remain silent over nationwide protests that had broken out in Iran.

Considering that the Biden Administration has not relinquished hopes of reviving the JCPOA and might still reopen suspended talks with Iran in the weeks and months ahead, Biden’s tougher position on Iran’s violations of human rights is a bit surprising.

Previous rounds of protests in Iran generally received less attention by Western media that has often treated the clerical regime with kid gloves. But this time it is different for several reasons.

First, it is important that the protests began when a 22-year-old woman was arrested for “improper hijab” and then received fatal head wounds in police custody and died. Mahsa Amini’s story caught the attention of the world and her hashtag surpassed 100 million retweets, easily dwarfing any previous issue.

Second, mostly very young Iranians began protests and persevered for more than two weeks, bringing images of teenage girls removing their headscarves and facing a brutal security force that in November 2019 had killed more than 1,500 protesters without hesitation.

Third, the power of social media in bringing these events to billions of smart phones made classic media a bit irrelevant. No one waited to see what the New York Times reports, and far, far fewer people would even read any reporting compared to hundreds of millions who instantly saw what was happening in Iran on their phones and computers.

These factors made the Iran issue powerful, and Biden reacted a bit differently than Obama. Mahsa Amini became a face people everywhere could relate to and easily understand what is wrong in Iran.

The old arguments that criticizing the clerical rulers in Iran would harm dissidents or lessen the chance of a rapprochement with Tehran, seemed weak - an Obama-era view that was tested and failed.

The argument of those who have been saying that the Islamic Republic is a multi-faceted threat and not just a nuclear issue has been strengthened. Europeans also seem to have been a bit shaken by Mahsa Amini’s death and it won’t be easy for Iran’s clerical rulers to overcome the international awareness about the nature of their rule.

"The violence levelled at protesters in Iran by the security forces is truly shocking," British Foreign Secretary James Cleverly said, referring to the Islamic Republic’s clampdown on popular protests triggered by the death of Mahsa Amini, the 22-year-old woman who was killed in police custody. 

"Today we have made our view clear to the Iranian authorities – instead of blaming external actors for the unrest, they should take responsibility for their actions and listen to the concerns of their people," Cleverly said. 

Also on Monday, US President Joe Biden forcefully condemns Iran's regime's crackdown on protesters, saying "this week, the United States will be imposing further costs on perpetrators of violence against peaceful protestors."

Late in September, Iran’s foreign ministry had summoned the British ambassador in Tehran over what it called “a hostile atmosphere” created by London-based Persian media outlets. There are three London-based major Iranian satellite TV channels beaming programs into Iran; Iran International TV, Manoto TV and BBC Persian. 

France also condemned in the strongest terms the continued brutal repression of demonstrations in Iran, and demanded that Iran cease this repression immediately. France is particularly shocked by the violence committed against the demonstrators, in particular at the University of Sharif on Sunday night. The Chargé d'Affaires of the Iranian Embassy was also summoned to the French Ministry for Europe and Foreign Affairs last Friday. 

Germany also summoned Iran’s ambassador on September 26 over Tehran’s heavy-handed crackdown on the popular protests.

Foreign Affairs Minister Melanie Joly announced the list of sanctions on Monday, about a week after Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau promised measures against the government. 

The list includes 25 individuals such as Mohammed-Hossein Bagheri, Major General in the Revolutionary Guard (IRGC) and the Chief of Staff of Iran’s Armed Forces; Major General Hossein Salami, IRGC Commander-in-Chief; Esmail Qaani, Commander of the IRGC’s Quds Force; as well as on IRGC’s Cyber Defense Command; Evin Prison -- which houses political prisoners – and Intelligence Minister Esmail Khatib.

"These sanctions are in response to gross human rights violations that have been committed in Iran, including its systematic persecution of women and in particular, the egregious actions committed by Iran's so-called 'Morality Police,' which led to the death of Mahsa Amini while under their custody," a government news release said.

Joly tweeted later in the day that “Iran’s continued grave and ongoing breaches of international law are well known and documented, including its blatant disregard for human life.”

Canada had earlier imposed sanctions on a total of 41 Iranian individuals and 161 Iranian entities before today’s list. 

In 2012, Canada designated Iran as a state supporter of terrorism under the State Immunity Act, which allows victims to bring civil action against Iran for losses or damages from an act of terrorism with links to Iran committed anywhere in the world.

The Sunday attack by security forces and vigilantes on students at Sharif University in Tehran arresting dozens of young people angered students in other universities.

Protests were taking place on Monday in Mashhad University, the second largest city, in Esfahan, the third largest city and many other universities. Security forces attempted another assault against students in Tabriz university, similar to what they had done in Tehran the previous day.

The protest mood spread to schools where teenage girls started writing anti-regime slogans on blackboards and taking off their headscarves once they left the school grounds, protesting openly in the streets. Theis phenomenon is perhaps one of the biggest challenges for the regime as attacking children will enrage the whole population.

Khamenei in his speech dismissed all that, claiming that all the protests in more than two weeks were planned by the United States and Israel, a theory most Iranians who witness prevailing conditions find laughable.

No reports about street protests were received Monday night, which would not necessarily mean there were no demonstrations. The government has almost cut off all Internet acess in evening hours, making it very difficult for people to connect to social media.

There was also a revolt among football (soccer) players of major teams, including the national team, weeks before the World Cup in neighboring Qatar.

Some players were taken into custody and warned against any statements in support of the protests. Players of the most popular club Persepolis all were wearing black wrist bands at a game on Sunday as a sign of protest. The only palyer who was not wearing it missed a penalty kick against the rival team and Persepolis lost, in what some people called “poetic justice”.

This live coverage of events in Iran ended at 00:30 Iran time on Tuesday.

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Iranian football (soccer) star Ali Karimi, who has become an icon for protesters and critics of the Islamic Republic, has tweeted addressing the armed forces.

"Hey soldier, what are you defending?"

“Are you defending rampant corruption? Are you defending the children of regime insiders who have emigrated to the West and are having a good time? Are you defending Iran’s humiliation and isolation in the world? Are you defending the poverty, prostitution, hunger, and misery among your fellow citizens?"

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A journalist from Iran has commented on social media that regime supporters who were beating up people and attacking anyone who disagreed with their views, are now calling for "dialogue" to solve the crisis in Iran.

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Nika Shahkarami, a young woam disappeared during protests in tehran on September 20 and later her body was found with a disfigured face. Security forces buries her in her home province of Lorestan, without informing her parents. In a video which is probably from the cemetary where was butied, her mother shouts. "Congratulations Nika for you martyrdom".

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Baluch Human Rights group annnounced Monday that from September 30 until October 3, 67 civilians were killed and 300 injured at the hands of securiyt forces. They have published graphic photos that we will not post here.

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Anti-riot and security forces have concregated near a university in tehran, ready to act against protesting students.

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Women in a shopping street in the Kurdish city of Sanandaj have removed their hijab and are dancing in this video.

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Oct 3 (Reuters) - Canada imposed fresh sanctions on Iran on Monday for alleged human rights violations, including the death of Mahsa Amini, a 22-year-old from Iranian Kurd who died while in custody of Iran's "morality police," the Canadian government said.

"These sanctions are in response to gross human rights violations that have been committed in Iran, including its systematic persecution of women and in particular, the egregious actions committed by Iran's so-called 'Morality Police,' which led to the death of Mahsa Amini while under their custody," the Canadian government said in a statement.

(A series of IRGC and other officials are lsited.)

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Skype has made all calls to Iran free, considering that the govenrment is blocking access to the Internet.

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Schoolgirls protesting in Karaj, a city 20 miles west of the capital Tehran. They were chanting "Death to the dictator".

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During Monday, students protested in the University of Industry in Shiraz perhaps responding to calls by students of Sharif University in Tehran.

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Protesters out in the streets in Tehran Monday afternoon, chanting "Death to the dictator."

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University students in Mashhad, Iran's secong largest city and an important religious center, protesting on Monday.

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Medical students in Bandar Abbas, a port city on the Persian Gulf, held a protest on Monday responding to calls by Tehran's Sharif University students.

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