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A female student holds a sign in Al-Zahra University, Tehran, during protest for Mahsa Amini. ABACA/PA Images

Iran's supreme leader blames US and Israel for protests over Mahsa Amini death

Since the unrest started on 16 September, dozens of protesters have been killed and more than a thousand arrested.

LAST UPDATE | 3 Oct 2022

IRAN’S SUPREME LEADER Ayatollah Ali Khamenei has accused the United States and Israel of stirring up the wave of nationwide unrest sparked by outrage over the death of Mahsa Amini.

“I say clearly that these riots and the insecurity were engineered by America and the occupying, false Zionist regime, as well as their paid agents, with the help of some traitorous Iranians abroad,” the Islamic republic’s leader said.

Amini, 22, was pronounced dead on 16 September, days after the notorious morality police detained the Kurdish Iranian woman for allegedly breaching rules forcing women to wear hijab headscarves and modest clothes.

Anger over Amini’s death has sparked the biggest wave of protests to rock the Islamic republic in almost three years, with security forces in Tehran cracking down on hundreds of university students last night.

The US has said it is “alarmed and appalled by reports of security authorities responding to university students’ peaceful protests with violence and mass arrests”, White House Press Secretary Karine Jean-Pierre said.

In his first public comments since Amini’s death, 83-year-old Khamenei stressed that police must “stand up to criminals”.

“The death of the young woman broke our hearts,” said Khamenei. “But what is not normal is that some people, without proof or an investigation, have made the streets dangerous, burned the Koran, removed hijabs from veiled women and set fire to mosques and cars”.

Khamenei added that “this is not about hijab in Iran”, and that “many Iranian women who don’t observe the hijab perfectly are among the steadfast supporters of the Islamic republic.”

Student protests 

Concern grew over a night-time crackdown on students at Tehran’s prestigious Sharif University of Technology where, local media reported, riot police carrying steel pellet guns used tear gas and paintball guns against hundreds of students.

“Woman, life, liberty” the students shouted, as well as “students prefer death to humiliation”, Mehr news agency reported.

Oslo-based group Iran Human Rights posted videos apparently showing police on motorcycles chasing students running through an underground car park and taking away detainees, their heads covered in black cloth bags.

In one clip, which IHR said was taken at a Tehran metro station, a crowd can be heard chanting: “Don’t be afraid! Don’t be afraid! We are all together!”

In response to the university protests, German Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock said that the courage of the Iranians was “incredible”, and that “the regime’s brute force is an expression of sheer fear of the power of education and freedom.”

Protests were also reported at other universities, including in the central city of Isfahan.

Iran has repeatedly accused outside forces of stoking the protests and last week said nine foreign nationals – including from France, Germany, Italy, the Netherlands and Poland — had been arrested.

The parents of Italian woman Alessia Piperno, 30, from Rome, said they had lost contact with her after speaking to her on Wednesday – her birthday – but then received a phone call yesterday.

“I’m fine, but there are people here who say they have been inside for months and for no reason,” she told them, according to Il Messaggero, Rome’s daily newspaper. “I fear I won’t be let out again. Help me.”

Italy’s foreign ministry has so far made no comment on the identity of the Italian held.

Sanctions

Canada, meanwhile, said it had imposed new sanctions against Iran over its “gross human rights violations”, especially citing “the egregious actions committed by Iran’s so-called ‘Morality Police’”.

At least 92 protesters have been killed so far in the Mahsa Amini rallies, said IHR, which has been working to assess the death toll despite internet outages and blocks on WhatsApp, Instagram and other online services.

Amnesty International said earlier it had confirmed 53 deaths, after Iran’s semi-official Fars news agency said last week that “around 60″ people had died.

The chief of riot police in Marivan, Kurdistan province, died of his wounds yesterday after being shot during “riots”, state television said – the 12th death reported among the security forces since 16 September.

An additional 41 people died in clashes Friday in Iran’s southeastern Sistan-Baluchestan province, bordering Afghanistan and Pakistan, IHR reported earlier, citing local sources.

Those protests were sparked by accusations a police chief in the region had raped a teenage girl of the Baluch Sunni minority, the rights group said.

© AFP 2022 

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    Mute Clodagh Carroll
    Favourite Clodagh Carroll
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    Oct 5th 2013, 11:15 AM

    Bye and thanks for the many laughs on here, Capt. Adebayo, you legend!!

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    Mute Lloyd Christmas
    Favourite Lloyd Christmas
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    Oct 5th 2013, 12:54 PM

    He must have gotten himself a girlfriend and she’s off barking orders

    20
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    Mute Gaius Gracchus
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    Oct 5th 2013, 11:22 AM

    Apparently Capt Adebayo Flynn has run into a bit of bother, some people aren’t happy with his decision http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kO12Ba5PwMA

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    Mute Suzanne Ní Dhúil
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    Oct 5th 2013, 11:41 AM

    Hilarious!!

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    Mute Jodi Steel
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    Oct 5th 2013, 1:44 PM

    That’s brilliant!

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    Mute Dreana O'Gorman
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    Oct 5th 2013, 2:45 PM

    Love it! :)

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    Mute Patricia Mc Cann
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    Oct 5th 2013, 3:32 PM

    Ha ha. He will be missed.

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    Mute Deirdre Mac Mahon
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    Oct 5th 2013, 11:17 AM

    ADEBAAAAAAAAAYOOOOOOO
    *sniff*
    well the Capt finally got me to open that twitter account.
    long life and prosper, Capt

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    Mute Nelly
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    Oct 5th 2013, 11:24 AM

    The capt had the ladies wrapped around his finger

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    Mute Niall H
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    Oct 5th 2013, 11:47 AM

    He’s some character. Pity there arent more like him on here. Its all cranky b******s now :)

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    Mute Abi Dennis
    Favourite Abi Dennis
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    Oct 5th 2013, 12:11 PM

    I’m far more upset about Adebayo leaving than i should be…its worse than when Robbie left Take That!

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    Mute Abbi Cranky
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    Oct 5th 2013, 11:32 AM

    Oh Captain, my captain?

    (Standing on chair, fist over heart, sigh)

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    Mute Donal O Neil
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    Oct 5th 2013, 2:19 PM

    Captain for president , let’s vote him in ….

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    Mute tmwtbc
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    Oct 5th 2013, 11:41 AM

    Didn’t know the Captain had quit. Very funny guy and genuinely insightful.

    Good luck, Captain!

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    Mute Tigerisinthezoo
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    Oct 5th 2013, 12:21 PM

    After all the love from the women Adebayo is likely to come back in a new twitter life as Commander Adebayo Flynn!

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    Mute Michelle Mc Loughney
    Favourite Michelle Mc Loughney
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    Oct 5th 2013, 12:05 PM

    Say it ain’t so captain. Say it ain’t so:( sobs.

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    Mute TheHassetthoff
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    Oct 5th 2013, 12:15 PM

    So long Captain, your posts are always top quality and good craic! Call back soon!

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    Mute Little Jim
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    Oct 5th 2013, 12:24 PM

    He’s not calling back, ever.
    He’s just too strong.
    *denial, tears, anger, acceptance, pride*

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    Mute Padraig Stapleton
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    Oct 5th 2013, 12:53 PM

    Farewell Adebayo, you legend! A great aul character…

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    Mute Marguerite Hoiby
    Favourite Marguerite Hoiby
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    Oct 5th 2013, 1:28 PM

    Why has he left?

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    Mute Mike Clinton
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    Oct 5th 2013, 3:08 PM

    So long Capt and your legacy will remain.
    Lelsie, lets ratchet it up a gear.

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    Mute Dave!
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    Oct 5th 2013, 4:27 PM

    You did good captain, consider yourself promoted to commandant.

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    Mute Tommy Hornblower
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    Oct 5th 2013, 1:46 PM

    I guess it’s up to Leslie Alan Rock to shepard the flock now…

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    Mute Beep Beep
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    Oct 5th 2013, 1:54 PM

    Oh god not Lesley Alan Moron, nobody wants his input

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    Mute Mike Clinton
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    Oct 5th 2013, 3:10 PM

    I disagree with you.
    I find Leslie’s posts quite good (and God knows I have had a few run in’s and don’t always agree)

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    Mute Leslie Alan Rock
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    Oct 5th 2013, 11:29 PM

    Thank you michael. ..onwards and side wards I shall lead you

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    Mute Mike Clinton
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    Oct 5th 2013, 11:37 PM

    Let’s Rock Leslie ;-). Take no prisoners.

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    Mute Dwickedchicken
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    Oct 5th 2013, 10:50 PM

    Personally I thought “capt” was an ass hole. :)

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    Mute Shane Hickey
    Favourite Shane Hickey
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    Oct 11th 2013, 11:43 AM

    how do you quit an online forum? Surely it’s accessible from anywhere in the world (and on ISS)?

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