Tear gas and shots in renewed massive protests in Iran - EU countries agree on sanctions

Created: 2022-10-12 21:08

The protests were triggered by the death of the young Kurd Mahsa Amini.

The 22-year-old died in Tehran on September 16 after being arrested there three days earlier by the vice squad on charges of not wearing her headscarf in accordance with regulations.

© IMAGO/Gerard Bottino/ZUMA Wire

While the protests in Iran continue unabated, the EU countries apparently agreed on sanctions against the country.

The decision could be made on Monday.

Brussels - The protests in Iran continue with undiminished force: Despite hundreds of arrests, rallies took place across the country on Wednesday.

At least 108 people have been killed during the protests, including 28 children, according to activists.

EU countries agreed on sanctions against Iran on Wednesday, according to diplomats.

EU agrees on Iran sanctions over violent crackdown on protests

According to diplomats, EU countries have agreed on new sanctions against Iran over the violent crackdown on demonstrators after the death of 22-year-old Mahsa Amini.

As reported by diplomatic circles on Wednesday, the EU foreign ministers are to officially decide on the sanctions at a meeting in Luxembourg on Monday.

European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen had previously said it was "time" to impose sanctions on those responsible for "the oppression of women" in Iran.

Iran had warned the European Union about a week ago against "imprudent measures" in connection with the ongoing protests in the country.

"If the EU takes hasty and ill-considered action, it should be prepared for effective countermeasures from Iran," Foreign Minister Hussein Amirabdollahian said in an Oct. 5 phone call with his Italian counterpart Luigi Di Maio.

Washington had also previously announced further sanctions against Iran.

The United States has already imposed economic sanctions on the country because of Iran's nuclear program.

Demonstrations in Iran continue unabated: President wants to “allow protests by citizens”

The protests in Iran were triggered by the death of the young Kurd Mahsa Amini.

The 22-year-old died in Tehran on September 16 after being arrested there three days earlier by the vice squad on charges of not wearing her headscarf in accordance with regulations.

According to several human rights organizations, the security forces in the provincial capital of Sanadaj, where Mahsa Amini is from, are cracking down on the demonstrators in particular.

The northwestern province of Kurdistan was also the scene of protests again on Wednesday.

Shots were fired in Isfahan, Karaj and Saghes, according to videos released by Norway-based human rights organizations Iran Human Rights (IHR) and Hengaw.

In the Iranian capital of Tehran, female students took to the streets without headscarves and chanted "Death to the dictator," according to video verified by AFP news agency.

As the Iranian news agency Isna reported, a large number of police officers were deployed in Tehran.

Lawyers also joined the protests in the capital and chanted: "Woman, life, freedom".

According to IHR, the security forces used tear gas to disperse the rally.

At least three lawyers have been arrested, according to a report by the

newspaper .

In view of the protests that have been going on for more than three weeks, Iran's justice chief proposed a dialogue with opponents of the Islamic leadership for the first time on Monday (October 10).

The Islamic system has an ear for criticism and is therefore ready for a dialogue.

President Ebrahim Raisi had also said that criticism and protests by citizens should be allowed, but within a peaceful framework and without riots.

System critics, however, consider these statements to be rhetoric and implausible.

President Raisi recently refused to conduct an interview in New York City with a renowned US journalist because she was not wearing a headscarf