Biden vows swift response to Iran over protests crackdown
ERBIL, Kurdistan Region - The United States will impose “further costs” on Iran over its violent crackdown on nationwide protests sparked by the death of Mahsa (Zhina) Amini in police custody, President Joe Biden said on Monday.
Amini, 22, died in police custody three days after her arrest on September 13 by Iran’s so-called morality police for allegedly breaching the country’s dress code of wearing headscarves and modest clothes.
Anger over her death sent thousands of Kurds in the Kurdish region of western Iran to the streets, sparking protests that later spread all over the country. Security forces have cracked down on the demonstrations and rights groups put the death toll at over 130 people.
Biden in a statement said he was “gravely concerned” about reports of intensifying repression of protestors, vowing a swift response.
“This week, the United States will be imposing further costs on perpetrators of violence against peaceful protestors,” said Biden. “We will continue holding Iranian officials accountable and supporting the rights of Iranians to protest freely.”
It is unclear what measures Biden is considering to place on Iran, which is already under crippling US sanctions for its nuclear program.
White House Press Secretary Karine Jean-Pierre earlier on Monday said the US will continue negotiations with Iran to salvage a deal over its nuclear program despite the tensions and “problems with Iran’s behavior.”
"As long as we believe pursuing JCPOA [Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action] talks is in the US national security interests, we will do so, and so at the same time, we will continue to use other tools to address other problems with Iran's behavior," said the spokeswoman.
Washington's remarks come hours after Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei accused arch-foes US and Israel of stoking unrest sweeping Iran.
“I can say categorically that these riots and insecurity is the plot of the United States and the Zionist regime … and people on their pay and some treacherous Iranians living abroad who helped them,” said Khamenei in his first comment on the protests.
The US “pursues plots to create riots and destroy the security of the country,” he added.
Amini’s death united Iranians from all walks of life in an unprecedented way that has created a serious challenge to the regime in Tehran. Many Iranian celebrities and even officials have criticized the police for their actions but the protests have morphed into a real push for the overthrow of the regime.
About 133 people have died, the Oslo-based Iran Human Rights Organization (IHR) said on Sunday, with hundreds of others wounded and dozens arrested.
Global rallies were held in solidarity with Amini’s death with people taking to the streets of dozens of cities, with many symbolically cutting off their hair.