Iran Situation: Military Calls on People to Foil "Enemy Conspiracies"
Iran – Despite suppression and nationwide internet shutdowns, Iranian people held demonstrations in multiple cities including Tehran on Friday evening during the ongoing 13-day large-scale protests. On Saturday, the military issued a statement saying it was protecting infrastructure and urging the people of Iran to foil "enemy conspiracies". US President Trump said on the 10th that Iran "craves freedom" and that the US is "ready to offer help" at any time.
As the protests triggered by the catastrophic economic situation in Iran intensified in suppression, the military announced on January 10 that it would protect strategic infrastructure and public property, and urged Iranians to foil "enemy conspiracies".
This statement was intended as a response to new threats from Trump against Iranian leaders and US Secretary of State Rubio on Friday. Rubio expressed support for the "brave Iranian people" on Saturday and urged protesters to "take to the streets" and "occupy public spaces" on Saturday and Sunday nights.
The unrest continued through the night but remained undisclosed, with the entire national internet being completely cut off. State media reported that a municipal building in Karaj, west of Tehran, was set on fire and blamed it on "rioters".
National television aired funeral footage of security personnel who died in protests in cities such as Shiraz, Qum, and Hamadan.
The Revolutionary Guard stated that national security and the achievements of the 1979 Islamic Revolution are "red lines" that protesters will never cross. In a statement published on a semi-official news website, the military accused Israel and "hostile terrorist organizations" of attempting to "undermine national public safety".
The statement said: "Under the command of the Supreme Leader, the army and other armed forces will resolutely defend and safeguard national interests, national strategic infrastructure, and public property, in addition to closely monitoring enemy movements in the region."
The movement has lasted for two weeks, but according to a large number of videos circulating on social media, the protests are intensifying, some of which show violent suppression by authorities. The non-governmental organization Amnesty International said they are analyzing evidence indicating that the suppression has escalated in recent days.
On Saturday, very little information came out of Iran. Shirin Ebadi, a Nobel Peace Prize winner in 2003 and an Iranian lawyer in exile, expressed her concern about a "massacre under complete blockade." She was particularly shocked by reports of security forces attacking hospitals and beating injured protesters.
Iranian film director Jafar Panahi and Mohammad Rasoulof also expressed "deep concern" over the "open repression." The Iranian human rights organization HRANA reported that as of January 9, 65 people had died, including 50 protesters and 15 security personnel.
EU Commission President Ursula von der Leyen said on Saturday that Europe "fully" supports the large-scale protests in Iran and condemned the "violent suppression" of participants.
Source: rfi
Original: toutiao.com/article/1853999197790364/
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