The United States stands with Iranian women “and all citizens who inspire the world with their bravery,” Joe Biden said Monday, as images and reports of action against protesters agitating to assert their freedom to choose to wear headscarves or hijabs said Monday continue to shock the world. “I remain gravely concerned by reports of the escalating violent crackdown on peaceful protests in Iran, including by students and women demanding their equal rights and basic human dignity,” the US president said in a statement.
“The United States will impose additional costs on perpetrators of violence against peaceful protesters. We will continue to hold Iranian officials accountable and support the rights of Iranians to protest freely,” he added. His remarks came as Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei accused the United States and Israel of ‘planning protests’. as reported by news agency.
In another statement, the White House said it was “concerned and appalled” by Iranian authorities’ crackdown on student protesters angered by the death of a young woman in the custody of Iran’s morality police. reports of security agencies responding to peaceful university student protests with violence and mass arrests. University students are talented young people who should be the future of Iran,” White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre told the news agency.
The crackdowns are “exactly the kind of behavior that is forcing Iran’s talented young people to leave the country by the thousands to seek dignity and opportunity elsewhere,” she added. UN chief Antonio Guterres had earlier said he was “increasingly concerned” by reports of rising casualties, “including women and children”.
Protests in Iran sparked by the death of Mahsa Amini have erupted across the country for a third week, despite government efforts to quell the demonstrations. Amini, 22, was arrested for allegedly violating the country’s strict Islamic dress code. Protests also spread to the Middle East and Europe and North America, with thousands of people taking to the streets in various parts of the world to show solidarity.
The country’s security forces responded to the protests with tear gas, metal bullets and in some cases, according to human rights groups and widely shared footage. Although thousands of people are reported to have been arrested and nearly a hundred dead, the extent of the crackdown remains unclear.
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