Thousands in Iran attend mass funeral amid protests
A mass funeral took place on January 14th in Tehran, with crowds forming a pro-government exhibition, holding up images of Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, Iran’s Supreme Leader, according to Africanews via AP on January 15th.
With the death toll growing substantially, a blend of protestors and government affiliates, the deaths of more could be soon expected as those who have been detained may be executed. This forms one of many difficulties Tehran has faced in recent times, with a previous evacuation due to drought.
Donald Trump, the President of the United States, has stated that the executions scheduled by the Islamic Republic are not going ahead. However, Tehran has showed no such signs and rather appears to have brought stricter rules on protesting, with Gholamhossein Mohseni-Ejei, Iran’s top judge, imparting his desire to punish tens of thousands of protestors quickly, including through executions.
Among these protestors is Erfan Soltani, who has been detained but not executed due to postponement by the authorities of Iran. A relative of Soltani spoke to the Associated Press about Soltani’s position, describing his relocation to a prison in Karaj and the subsequent fear and unsettlement left to sit with his family as they await to hear of Soltani’s fate.
With the death toll reminiscent of the Islamic Revolution in 1979, and the widespread media increasingly difficult to gauge due to the country’s transmissions being disrupted, the country faces much unrest. However, activists have been vocal about potential communication lines opening in Iran, offering hope for more insight into the situation.
According to internal sources, the United Nations Security Council have been called to convene an emergency meeting by the United States, as the British Embassy in Iran has closed. Many wonder what the next move will be that the United States make.
Meanwhile, Abbas Araghchi, Iran’s Foreign Minister, has stated that the involvement of the United States and Israel has caused terror associated with the protests, marking them as peaceful until foreign interference escalated tensions. Araghchi has also been interviewed by Fox News and in the ‘Special Report’ described Iran as being ‘ready for negotiation’, looking to the United States to find a peaceful and diplomatic resolution.
There have been widespread travel warnings since, including by the UK Embassy and the United States Embassies in Qatar and Kuwait. Citizens of the United Kingdom have been told not to travel to Iran at the moment.
Africanews via AP/ Maghrebi.org
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