On Saturday, there was a large rally at Arak as locals gathered for the funeral of Mehrshad Shahidi, a 19-year-old youth who was killed by security forces.

PARIS, FRANCE, October 30, 2022 /EINPresswire.com/ -- The nationwide uprising in Iran is marking its 44th day on Saturday following intense protests in dozens of cities on Friday despite the regime’s heavy crackdown measures and opening fire on civilians.

Protests in Iran have to this day expanded to at least 203 cities. Over 450 people have been killed and more than 25,000 are arrested by the regime’s forces, according to sources of the Iranian opposition People’s Mojahedin Organization of Iran (PMOI/MEK). The names of 294 killed protesters have been published by the PMOI/MEK.

Saturday’s protests began with student rallies in universities across Iran. Protest rallies were reported in Tehran, Ahvaz, Kerman, Babol, Lorestan, Kermanshah, and Qods City. Across Iran, students called for the ouster of the mullahs, chanting anti-regime slogans such as “Death to the dictator!” “Freedom! Freedom! Freedom!”

Student demonstrations continue across Iran despite the repressive measures by the regime. On the previous night, security forces stormed dormitories in different cities and violently arrested students to intimidate them and prevent future protests. But the students returned to the streets on Saturday.

On Saturday, there were numerous reports of security forces attacking students. At Tehran University, Basij forces attacked and assaulted students, but the protesters resisted and continued their rallies.

In Sanandaj, Basij forces attacked students at the Kurdistan University of Medical Sciences. And in Mashhad, security forces attacked students at Azad University.

Also on Saturday, there was a large rally at Arak as locals gathered for the funeral of Mehrshad Shahidi, a 19-year-old youth who was killed by security forces in recent days.

The funeral quickly turned into an anti-regime rally, with protesters shouting slogans against regime supreme leader Ali Khamenei and the rule of the mullahs. Security forces attacked the rally and tried to disperse the protesters by opening fire on the protesters, but were met with fierce resistance.

Protests continued late into the night on Saturday despite the heavy presence of security forces in major cities. Reports of protests came from Ahvaz, Yazd, Piranshahr, Borujerd, Lasht-e Nesha, Bukan, Bandar Abbas, and Astara.

The situation is especially tense in Mashhad, where security forces have surrounded Azad University since the evening and are cracking down on students.

Videos show security forces violently beating and arresting students. There are also reports of clashes between protesters and security forces in Astara, Yazd, and Lasth-e Nesha. Protesters have put up fierce resistance despite facing heavily armed repressive forces.

A major rally in the city of Zahedan, the capital of Sistan & Baluchestan Province, marked the beginning of Friday’s anti-regime protests. The Baluchi community in cities across this province launched similar protests in solidarity with their compatriots in Zahedan.

Cities in Iran’s Kurdish areas also saw locals taking to the streets and continuing their demonstrations, calling for the toppling of the mullahs’ regime.

The city of Mahabad remains a major flashpoint as people have been taking control of their streets and cleansing their town of symbols resembling the mullahs’ regime and their oppressive security forces.

People across Iran have been chanting various slogans, including: “Death to the dictator!” and “Death to Khamenei!” referring to regime Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei, and “Death to the oppressor! Be it the Shah or [Khamenei]!”

On Friday, there were intense protests in Zahedan as the locals held demonstrations after the Friday Prayers. These large rallies are happening while just a few weeks ago, the regime’s security forces opened fire on the peaceful protests of the people of Zahedan and killed at least 118 people.

During Friday’s protests, a large crowd had gathered and were chanting anti-regime slogans including “Death to Khamenei!” and “Death to the Dictator!” Clashes ensued as security forces attacked protesters and opened fire on them.

According to local reports, at least 12 civilians have been injured and killed. Security forces are using live ammunition and teargas. Some reports indicate that a 12-year-old is among the dead.

Protests spread to other cities of Sistan and Baluchestan province, including Iranshahr, Saravan, Suran, Ashar, and Rask. Security forces opened fire on protesters but failed to disperse them.

According to activists, people in cities and towns across the province are preparing for nightly protests.

At the same time, protests were held in other cities across Iran, including Mahabad, Baneh, Birjand, Kermanshah, and Mashhad.

Protests expanded to more cities at night, including Arak, Tonekabon, Dorud, Qasr-e Shirin, Urmia, Miandoab, and Tehran. In several cities, there were heavy clashes between protesters and security forces, including Bukan and Tonekabon.

Iranian opposition the National Council of Resistance of Iran (NCRI) President-elect Maryam Rajavi hailed the Iranian people throughout the country, especially the brave protesters of Sistan & Baluchestan and their compatriots in Iran’s Kurdish cities, as they bravely continue the ongoing uprising to bring down the mullahs’ regime.

“In week seven of the nationwide uprising, our compatriots in the cities of Zahedan, Saravan, Suran, Iranshahr, and throughout Baluchestan have shaken the pillars of the clerical regime with their chants of ‘Death to Khamenei.’

They have given the Revolutionary Guards (IRGC) & Basij forces an unforgettable lesson. We salute the Baluchi youth slain today by Khamenei’s mercenaries. I urge all youth to rush to the aid of the people of Zahedan.

The world must reject the mullahs’ regime for its crimes against humanity and recognize the Iranian people’s struggle to overthrow the regime,” the NCRI President-elect emphasized.

“My Kurdish compatriots have bravely cornered the regime in the past three days. I salute the heroic children of Mahabad who have sacrificed their lives for freedom and people’s sovereignty. These brutal killings only add to the Iranian people’s determination to topple the regime,” she added.

The protests in Iran began following the death of Mahsa Amini. Mahsa (Zhina) Amini, a 22-year-old woman from the city of Saqqez in Kurdistan Province, western Iran, who traveled to Tehran with her family, was arrested on Tuesday, September 13, at the entry of Haqqani Highway by the regime’s so-called “Guidance Patrol” and transferred to the “Moral Security” agency.

She was brutally beaten by the morality police and died of her wounds in a Tehran hospital on September 16. The event triggered protests that quickly spread across Iran and rekindled the people’s desire to overthrow the regime.

Shahin Gobadi
NCRI
+33 6 61 65 32 31
email us here

After security forces opened fire on protesters in Zahedan, protests spread to other cities of Sistan and Baluchestan province including Iranshahr, and Saravan.