DUBAI (Reuters) – Iranian security forces fired tear gas on Thursday to disperse protesters gathered in the southwestern city of Behbahan, witnesses told Reuters, and there was a strong presence of forces in other cities.
Videos posted on social media from inside Iran showed protesters singing, “Don’t fear, don’t fear, we’re in this together.” Some protesters chanted slogans against senior officials.
The videos posted on Twitter showed a strong presence of the security forces in several cities, including Tehran and Isfahan.
Witnesses in Behbahan said there have been several arrests in the oil-rich city of Khuzestan province of Iran.
Reuters was unable to verify the videos on social media and the arrest reports.
NetBlocks Internet Blocking Observatory wrote on Twitter that it had seen some internet restrictions in Khuzestan province on Thursday night.
Iran’s clerical rulers have tried to prevent a resurgence of anti-government protests that took place last November, when more than 1,000 people are believed to have been killed in the deadliest street violence since Iran’s Islamic revolution in 1979.
Iran’s interior ministry said in May that the death toll was 225, including the security forces.
“People are angry. The economy is so bad we cannot survive, “an Iranian man said by telephone from Tehran on Thursday, who asked not to be identified because of security concerns.
Last year’s riots began with protests over financial difficulties, but they became political, and protesters demanded that senior officials resign.
Iran’s economy, heavily hit by U.S. sanctions that have cut its oil exports, has further deteriorated as a result of the coronavirus crisis in recent months.
Iran’s judiciary announced on Tuesday that the death sentences of three men involved in last year’s anti-government riots had been confirmed, prompting an increase in online protests against their sentences.
Some people on social media called people to hold protests across the country on Friday to protest the death penalty for the three men.
Iran’s Tasnim news agency said security forces had arrested “key elements of opposition groups … who were encouraging people to protest on Friday in the north-eastern province of Khorasan Razavi.”
Written by Parisa Hafezi; Edition of Jonathan Oatis and Rosalba O’Brien
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