9:45 p.m.
Hassan Rouhani tells protesters: Change will take time
Some of the problems that have brought people into the streets in widespread protests throughout Iran over the past four days have existed for years before his presidency, Hassan Rouhani told the Iranian nation on Sunday evening. The change his cabinet promised may “take time,” he said, adding that it is not fair to blame the executive branch for all the problems.
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6:35 pm
Telegram: We’d rather be blocked than limit peaceful expression of opinion
The founder and CEO of messaging app Telegram Pavel Durov issued a statement responding to Iran’s decision to block the platform popular among protesters.
“We are proud that Telegram is used by thousands of massive opposition channels all over the world. We consider freedom of speech an undeniable human right, and would rather get blocked in a country by its authorities than limit peaceful expression of alternative opinions,” he stated.
On Saturday, Telegram suspended an Iranian channel with over 800,000 subscribers, Amad News, after it violated the platform’s terms of service prohibiting calls for violence.
Durov said that the admins of the channel apologized for breaking the rules and promised to abide by them in the future. Telegram was therefore able to welcome them establishing a “new peaceful channel.”
“Obviously, our neutrality and refusal to take sides in such conflicts can create powerful enemies,” Durov stated. “Today [Iranian officials] imposed a block on Telegram – not clear whether permanent or temporary.”
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5:24 pm
Global leaders voice support for right to peaceful protest
Iranian officials have condemned statements from Canada and the United States supporting the right to peaceful demonstrations in Iran.
On Saturday, Canada's foreign ministry released a statement saying "Canada is encouraged by the Iranian people who are exercising their basic right to protest peacefully" and called on Iranian authorities "to uphold and respect democratic and human rights."
Bahram Ghasemi, spokesperson for Iran's foreign ministry, responded on Sunday saying his government "considers Canadian government's interventionist policy as a violation of legal and international commitments and does not attach any credibility to it."
He said Canada's stance is a renewal of "illogical" policies on Iran of previous Canadian governments, according to Mehr News Agency.
The Canadian government under Prime Minister Justin Trudeau has been working to restore relations with Iran that were cut by the previous administration.
US President Donald Trump took to Twitter again on Sunday to express his support for the protesters. "Big protests in Iran," he said in his fourth tweet on Iran in three days.
Big protests in Iran. The people are finally getting wise as to how their money and wealth is being stolen and squandered on terrorism. Looks like they will not take it any longer. The USA is watching very closely for human rights violations!
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) December 31, 2017
"Mr. Trump don't get excited," tweeted Hossein Amir-Abdollahian, special aid on international affairs to the Iranian parliament, in response to the American president's tweets.
Mr. Trump don't get excited. People's economic demands are diffrent to rioters. Iranians prefer national security & religious democracy as practiced by Islamic system over WH's terrorist & deceptive policies. pic.twitter.com/Z3XAe0QkNF
— H.amirabdollahian (@Amirabdolahian) December 30, 2017
UK Foreign Secretary Boris Johnson has said he is watching the protests "with concern" and stressed the right to peaceful protest.
Watching events in Iran with concern. Vital that citizens should have the right to demonstrate peacefully.
— Boris Johnson (@BorisJohnson) December 31, 2017
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Media reports social networking apps blocked in Iran
Social media applications like Telegram and Instagram have been blocked in Iran to restrict social media usage on mobile phones, AFP, which has offices in there, has reported
The Iranian government has accused Telegram of provoking violence during protests and was cut off early Sunday afternoon, according to ISNA.
Many of the protests have been organized through online messaging networks.
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3:40 p.m.
Kurdish parties jointly blame Iran's economic problems for protests
In a joint statement, PDKI, the Toilers, and Komala expressed that they have been oppressed by the Islamic Republic for "decades" and the government are the true instigators of these protests.
“The main source of these protests is economic crisis and piled up political and economic problems in Iran, which is the result of decades of rule by oppressors and crisis instigators of the Islamic Republic,” read a joint statement by the PDKI, Toilers Party of the Iranian Nation and the Komala Party of Iranian Kurdistan (Komala).
They said that the protests are due to oppression of dictators.
“These protests show the pent up anger emanating from years of incompetent, corrupt, unjust and dictatorial rule which gives people no chance for civil protest,” the statement added.
PJAK, an Iranian affiliate of the Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK), separately asked for democratic principles to be applied for the sake of Kurds and all Iranians.
“The activities happening in Iran … should lead to a new way to democratize all of Iran,” the Kurdistan Free Life Party (PJAK) stated. “As PJAK, we call for participation in these endeavors for the sake of freedom for the Kurdish nation and all Iranian nationals.”
PJAK, KDPI, Komala and other groups have waged guerrilla insurgencies against the IRGC on and off for decades.
“We know very well the cause and origin of all problems is political problems. No Iranian problems will be solved unless a democratic solution is reached or mechanisms of solution are taken. All the changes in life and on the ground are related to this. Any activity done in Iran is just,” PJAK stated.
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1:22 p.m.
Iran claims ‘foreign agents’ responsible deaths in protests
A state official claimed that the two people killed in Dorud, Lorestan Province, on Saturday were targeted by “foreign agents”, and were not killed by the government police force.
“Violent clashes broke out in the illegal demonstration in Dorud on Saturday and unfortunately two people were killed,” said the deputy governor of Lorestan province, Habibollah Khojastehpour, on Sunday in an interview for state TV.
Khojastehpour stated that no shots were fired by security or police forces and that evidence was found that the two were killed by “enemies of the revolution, Takfiri groups and foreign agents in this clash.”
Takfiri is a term used in political Islam to describe extremist groups who accuse fellow Muslims of worthy of being killed because they believe such Muslims have stepped outside the framework of Islam. Groups like al-Qaeda or ISIS, among others, come under the term as used by Iran and others.
Ahmad Khatami, a hard-line cleric who leads Friday prayers in Tehran called for capital punishment on Sunday for anyone chanting slogans against the “values of the Islamic Republic.”
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11 a.m.
Protests in Iran resume on Saturday
Iranians calling themselves "The Group for the Coordination of the Mass Protests" have taken to social media to call on anti-government protests to resume across 63 cities in Iran for the fourth day in a row, demanding the Iranian president and Supreme Leader step down from their positions, while government officials say they are determined to address the demands of the people.
Interior Minister Abdolraza Rahmani Fazli stated on Sunday that in the current situation, maintaining peace, inviting law and order, strengthening unity, coherence, coordination and cooperation, and pursuing the demands of the people is the best way to ensure public safety and adequate response to the people.
"We urge all those who receive these calls to protest not to participate in these illegal gatherings as they will create problems for themselves and other citizens," said Fazli.
Government authorities temporarily cut off internet access, but full coverage was restored on Sunday.
There have also been pro-government demonstrations at Imam Khomeini grand mosque in the capital Tehran.
The US State Department released a statement on Saturday "strongly condemning" the arrest of peaceful protesters.
"Iran’s leaders have turned a wealthy country with a rich history and culture into an economically depleted rogue state whose chief exports are violence, bloodshed, and chaos," read a statement released by department spokesperson Heather Nauert.
One of Iran’s few official reports, by the conservative Mehr news agency showed the town hall being attacked by protesters in Tehran, along with them burning the Iranian flag and overturning a police car.
Deadly protests continued across Iran on Saturday with angry crowds confronting police and attacking government buildings, prompting authorities to close down two metro stations in Tehran in order to prevent more people from arriving into the capital city.
The demonstrations began in Mashhad on Thursday where people protested against rising costs of goods and high unemployment.
An unconfirmed number of protesters have been killed after Iranian forces opened fire on demonstrations, according to social media reports.
Images and video shared on social media also showed protesters tearing down posters of Iranian figures like Qassem Soleimani, commander of the Quds force, and the Supreme Leader, in addition to setting fire to government buildings.
They spread across the country on Friday and took on an anti-government tone as people expressed anger over corruption and clerical rule. They accused officials of being more invested in external affairs like conflicts in Syria and Yemen than meeting the needs of the people.
The Democratic Party of Iranian Kurdistan (PDKI) reported at least six protesters were killed in Lorestan province and several were killed and four injured after Revolutionary Guards opened fire on demonstrators in Kermanshah province.
Reuters also on Saturday reported on the shooting of at least two protesters by security forces in Dorud, Lorestan province.
Rudaw cannot immediately independently confirm the reports of casualties.
