Civilnet
By Elen Muradyan
Seven Iranian nationals taking part in a protest near the Iranian Embassy in Yerevan on Saturday have been detained.
Several dozen Iranians held a protest today in front of the Iranian Embassy in Yerevan. The protest had been authorized by the Yerevan Municipality on Thursday, but the permit was revoked on Friday.
The participants planned to march from the embassy to the Blue Mosque, but police officers overseeing public order formed a cordon and did not allow the march to proceed. Some participants attempted to break through the police line. Seven individuals were detained, according to the press service of the Ministry of Internal Affairs.
Some demonstrators tried to break through the police line, prompting the detentions, the Interior Ministry said. Ministry spokesperson Narek Sargsyan said the seven were held on administrative charges for failing to comply with police orders.
Demonstrators chanted slogans including “Death to Khamenei,” “Freedom for Iran,” “Democracy for Iran,” “Stand with Iran,” and “Long live Reza Shah”, a reference to the last shah’s heir who has expressed interest in returning to Iran to lead. He had left the country in 1979 with his father the shah following the victory of the Islamic Revolution.
The Iranians remain near the embassy, stating they will not leave until those detained are released, chanting in Armenian “release our friends!”
A large number of police officers have been deployed in front of the embassy, and special equipment has been brought to the area. Police have stated that force will be used if protesters take any action.
These events were preceded by a complaint from Iranian Ambassador Khalil Shirgholami. On Wednesday, he stated that Iran is concerned about the protests taking place in front of its embassy in Yerevan. Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan responded to the ambassador’s remarks, saying that Armenia would do everything possible to address the concerns of friendly and brotherly Iran, while noting that Armenia’s constitution guarantees the freedom of expression.
Referring to the Iranian ambassador’s statements in Armenia, the Iranians gathered outside the embassy said: “How can an ambassador of one state threaten the prime minister of another state? Submitting to Iran’s demands calls into question your independence as a state.”
Iranian protesters living in Armenia report that they have been questioned by Armenia’s National Security Service (NSS) because they have been holding daily protests in front of the Iranian Embassy since last week. CivilNet attempted to verify this information with the NSS press service, but the agency neither confirmed nor denied it, requesting that a written inquiry be submitted.
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Protests have been ongoing in Iran throughout the country since late December. The initial cause was the sharp devaluation of Iran’s national currency, the rial, but the protesters’ demands later took on a political character. Due to communication shutdowns in Iran, the true situation on the ground remains unclear; however, human rights organizations operating abroad report the use of brutal force by law enforcement. According to various sources, the unconfirmed death toll among protesters has exceeded two thousand and perhaps more than ten thousand. Iranian officials, for their part, report significant losses within the law enforcement system.
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