Raisi dismisses Biden ‘free Iran’ pledge after protest surge
Paris, France (AFP):
Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi has dismissed a pledge from US leader Joe Biden to “free Iran” as the country faces a new upsurge in protests seven weeks after the death of Mahsa Amini who had been arrested by the police for not fulfilling the requirements of the conservative dress code for women.
Campaigning for mid-term elections in the US, Biden had said: “Don’t worry we’re gonna free Iran. They’re gonna free themselves pretty soon.”
But Raisi responded by saying: “The great people of Iran will not bow their heads to you”.
“Our men and women — our young men and young women are determined and we will never allow you to carry out your satanic desires,” he told a gathering commemorating the November 1979 takeover of the US embassy in Tehran by students.
“The enemy is today targeting our solidarity and national unity, our security, our peace and our determination,” Raisi said.
The problems for Iran’s system under supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, 83, are compounded by the tradition of holding mourning ceremonies 40 days after a death — known as “chehelom” — meaning each death can spark new protests six weeks on.
One of the biggest protest actions took place in the town of Karaj outside Tehran on Thursday where protesters marked the death of Hadis Najafi, 22, in September.
A member of Iran’s Basij paramilitary force and two other unidentified people were killed, and 10 police officers and a cleric were injured Thursday during the clashes in Karaj, state media said.
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