‘Dupes of the Great Satan’: Iran’s Army Chief Says Troops Ready to Intervene in Protests
Iran’s army chief said he was prepared to send in troops to confront protesters if needed.
(MEE) — Iran saw another day of large pro-government rallies on Thursday after authorities declared the end of deadly unrest and turned attention to addressing economic concerns that fueled protests.
A week after the demonstrations broke out, there were no reports of fresh protests in local media overnight, while videos on social media suggested only limited unrest in provincial towns which could not be immediately verified.
Despite the announcement, Iran’s army chief said his troops were ready to intervene if needed, official media reported.
“Although this blind sedition was so small that a portion of the police force was able to nip it in the bud… you can rest assured that your comrades in the Islamic Republic’s army would be ready to confront the dupes of the Great Satan (United States),” Major General Abdolrahim Mousavi was quoted as saying on Thursday.
As Washington suggested it may be looking to impose fresh sanctions on Tehran, Iranian authorities were weighing options to prevent further unrest, including blocking unpopular measures in President Hassan Rouhani’s recent budget.
State television showed huge crowds marching in support of the government across 10 cities early on Thursday, including Isfahan, Ardebil and Mashhad, where the protests first erupted last Thursday.
“We are together behind the leader,” chanted the crowds, in reference to Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei.
“The revolutionary Iranian people have responded in time to the enemies and trouble-makers by coming out on the streets,” Ali Akbar Velayati, an advisor to Khamenei, told the semi-official ISNA news agency.
“The people’s main demand now is for the government and officials to deal with the economic problems,” he added.
General Mohammad Ali Jafari, the head of Iran’s powerful Revolutionary Guards, on Wednesday announced the “end of the sedition.”
A total of 21 people died in five days of unrest that began on 28 December as protests against economic grievances quickly turned against the regime as a whole, with attacks on government buildings and police stations.
Jafari told state television that “a large number of the troublemakers” were behind the unrest, saying many had been arrested and would face “firm action.”
By MEE and agencies / Republished with permission / Middle East Eye / Report a typo
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