The leader of the Revolutionary Guards, the ideological army of Iran, General Hossein Salami, called on Saturday, October 29, “a limited number of deceived young people” by the enemy to put an end to “riots”, referring to the demonstrations triggered in the country since the death of Mahsa Amini.
“Today is the end of the riots, don’t take to the streets anymore”he said, accusing Saudi leaders of fueling them. “We tell Al Saud [la famille royale en Arabie saoudite] and the media under their control (…) to pay attention. You who provoke people and sow the seeds of sedition by showing images, think a little about what could happen to you”launched Hossein Salami.
He further called on the students “not to become a piece of the enemy’s chess game”, because “Nobody will allow to cause riots in Iran”.
These statements were made during the funeral of the victims of the Shiraz attack, perpetrated in the mausoleum of Shah-Tcheragh, the main Shiite Muslim shrine in southern Iran. The attack was claimed by the Islamic State group and killed at least fifteen people. During the funeral, the crowd chanted slogans against the “riots”.
At least 250 protesters killed since the start of the movement
On Thursday, Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi seemed to establish a link between the attack on Shiraz, among the deadliest in the country in recent years, and the demonstrations which followed the death in custody of the young Masha Amini, the September 16. She had been arrested a few days earlier for wearing a veil deemed illegal.
The protest movement, which has spread to all layers of Iranian society, is considered one of the biggest challenges to Tehran’s theocratic rule since the 1979 Islamic revolution. According to human rights groups , at least 250 protesters were killed and several thousand more arrested across the country.
Footage circulating on social media on Friday showed protesters calling for the death of Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, the revolution’s Supreme Leader, and that of militia members Bassija volunteer paramilitary organization that played an important role in suppressing protests.