CNN-Oct 23rd 2022

 

By Hande Atay Alam, Aliza Kassim and Tara Subramaniam,

Iran said Saturday it would take legal action against the United States, accusing it of “direct involvement” in the protests sweeping the country.

Tehran also warned the United Kingdom and Saudi Arabia would “not be ignored by the Islamic Republic’s judiciary system” for their role in hosting and supporting TV networks such as BBC Persian and Iran International – which it claimed had urged protesters “to destroy public and private properties.”

Anti-government protests have gripped Iran since the September 16 death of 22-year-old Mahsa Amini, who died after being pulled off the streets of Tehran by morality police and taken to a “re-education center” for lessons in modesty.

Strikes and protests have become a common sight in cities and towns across the country and in the capital chants of “death to the dictator” – in reference to Supreme Leader Ayatollah Khamenei – often ring out at night from the rooftops.

US President Joe Biden has thrown his support behind the demonstrators, promising costs “on perpetrators of violence against peaceful protesters” and saying the US stands with the “brave women of Iran who right now are demonstrating to secure their basic rights.”

The US has also announced sanctions on Iran’s morality police “for abuse and violence against Iranian women and the violation of the rights of peaceful Iranian protesters” and is working to making it easier for Iranians to access the internet.

This is not the first time Iran has accused the US of meddling in anti-government protests – it made similar claims in 2018.

Read more on the original:

https://www.cnn.com/2022/10/23/middleeast/iran-protests-lawsuit-against-us-intl-hnk/index.html