Arrests in Iran’s Yazd Region Amid Protests

Police in Yazd, a desert region in Iran, reported on Tuesday that they had detained 139 foreign individuals for allegedly participating in protests against the Iranian government that started in December.

According to Yazd Police Commander Ahmad Negahban, these individuals were accused of actively organizing and inciting unrest, with some reportedly connected to foreign networks. He mentioned that a judicial investigation regarding their cases is underway, following the country’s laws and regulations.

However, Negahban did not provide details about the nationalities of those arrested or the specific charges they face. On Monday, state media reported that four foreigners were also detained in Tehran as part of a broader crackdown on protests. Similar to the arrests in Yazd, there has been no disclosure about their nationalities or alleged offenses.

Asghar Jahangir, a representative of the Iranian judiciary, stated that anyone involved in what he called an “American insurrection” would not escape punishment. Initially, during the early protests in December, the government’s stance was somewhat sympathetic to the demonstrators, who were expressing concerns over the struggling economy and a rapidly declining currency. Yet, the authorities quickly shifted their tone, with Supreme Leader Ayatollah Khamenei labeling the majority of protestors as “rioters” who needed to be dealt with firmly.

In the subsequent weeks, Iranian officials began to assert that the protests were orchestrated by the United States, Israel, and other adversarial entities aimed at destabilizing the government. Following these accusations, the regime intensified its crackdown, leading to a significant number of deaths among protestors.

As of this week, the office of Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian stated that 2,985 individuals had been killed during these crackdowns. Yet, independent human rights organizations estimate the actual death toll to be much higher. The US-based Human Rights Activists News Agency (HRANA) reported 6,854 confirmed deaths, with indications that the final figures could be even greater.

Mahmoud Amiri Moghaddam, head of Iran’s Human Rights Agency, mentioned that estimates based on eyewitness accounts suggest that figures near 20,000 or even 30,000 deaths are plausible.