Iran has accused Western leaders of „violating its sovereignty” by making comments supporting protesters angry over the death of Mahsa Amini, the young woman who had been detained and killed by the country’s morality police, reports NBC.
“In the recent riots, the political leaders of America and Europe, their media, exploited a tragic incident under investigation and with the slogan of supporting the rights of the Iranian nation”, an Instagram statement by an Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesperson read Monday. „They did all they could to support the riots”.
„Attempts to violate Iran’s sovereignty will not go unanswered”, Nasser Kanani’s post added.
On Friday, the Treasury Department issued guidance expanding the range of internet services available to Iranians despite U.S. sanctions on the country.
Josep Borrell, the European Union’s foreign policy chief, stated that Iran should „immediately stop the violent crackdown on protests and ensure internet access”. He also called for information on the number of people killed and arrested, and an investigation into the killing of Mahsa Amini.
The protests have turned into anti-government rallies across the nation, drawing crowds onto the streets across the country and calls for a nationwide strike on Monday and Wednesday.Women across Iran have been protesting the country’s mandatory dress codes, with videos posted online showing women burning their hijabs and cutting their hair on public streets.
Police said Amini died on Sept. 16 after being beaten and slipping into a coma days earlier as she waited with other women held by the morality police, which enforce the Islamic Republic’s strict rules requiring women to cover their hair and wear loose-fitting clothes in public.
