Stay up to date with notifications from The Independent

Notifications can be managed in browser preferences.

As it happenedended

Iran protests latest: Regime forces kill three in fresh crackdown on protesters

Regime withholding bodies of dead activists, UN warns

Jane Dalton,Sravasti Dasgupta,Matt Mathers
Monday 31 October 2022 03:48 EDT
Comments
Gunman kills 15 after attack on Shiite holy site in Shiraz, Iran

Your support helps us to tell the story

From reproductive rights to climate change to Big Tech, The Independent is on the ground when the story is developing. Whether it's investigating the financials of Elon Musk's pro-Trump PAC or producing our latest documentary, 'The A Word', which shines a light on the American women fighting for reproductive rights, we know how important it is to parse out the facts from the messaging.

At such a critical moment in US history, we need reporters on the ground. Your donation allows us to keep sending journalists to speak to both sides of the story.

The Independent is trusted by Americans across the entire political spectrum. And unlike many other quality news outlets, we choose not to lock Americans out of our reporting and analysis with paywalls. We believe quality journalism should be available to everyone, paid for by those who can afford it.

Your support makes all the difference.

At least three more demonstrators have been killed by Iranian security forces during a rally following the funeral for another protester.

Hengaw, a human-rights group, said the security officers shot dead at least three protesters in the city of Mahabad near Iran’s western border with Iraq on Thursday night.

Meanwhile, the UN human-rights office has voiced concern about Iran’s treatment of detained protesters and said authorities were refusing to release some of the bodies of those killed.

“We’ve seen a lot of ill treatment...but also harassment of the families of protesters,” Ravina Shamdasani, spokesperson of the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights, said, citing multiple sources.

She added that in some cases, authorities were withholding the bodies of dead protesters from families or only releasing them on condition that they do not hold a funeral or speak to the media.

Tensions continue to mount in Iran as protests against the death of Mahsa Amini entered the 42nd day. Demonstrators attempted to break into government offices in Mahabad yesterday after the death of 35-year-old protester Ismaeil Mauludi.

According to Hengaw, at least three citizens — identified as Keyvan Darvishi, Mohammad Lotfolahi, and Mohammad Shariati — were killed.

Protests continue in Iran

Human rights group Hengaw has released footage of protests in Iran on Friday.

Shots of gunfire along with slogans can be heard in the footage.

Sravasti Dasgupta28 October 2022 09:15

We are watching a revolution take place in Iran

“The young people of Iran are on the march once again. In 1979, the Islamic Republic was the result of a righteous revolution, though hardly the democratic state many then dreamed of; now it could be overthrown by another uprising, one fuelled by the right kind of moral fervour among the young.”

Read The Independent’s editorial here:

Editorial: We are watching a revolution take place in Iran

Editorial: In 1979, the Islamic Republic was the result of a righteous revolution, though hardly the democratic state many then dreamed of; now it could be overthrown by another uprising, one fuelled by the right kind of moral fervour among the young

Sravasti Dasgupta28 October 2022 09:45

Iran determined to make progress despite ‘plot’, president says

Iran’s president Ebrahim Raisi vowed on Thursday that the country will defeat enemies, as it remains strongly determined to continue on the path of progress, state media IRNA reported.

His statement came in response to Wednesday’s attack on Shia pilgrims that has been claimed by Isis.

Mr Raisi said while the group may have claimed the attack, the question remains about who created the terror group and supports it in order to sow discord among countries in West Asia.

He accused the US of creating Isis and said that it raises questions about its commitment to human rights.

Hundreds of protesters clapping and cheering during a rally in Saqez, Mahsa Amini’s hometown
Hundreds of protesters clapping and cheering during a rally in Saqez, Mahsa Amini’s hometown (UGC/AFP via Getty Images)
Sravasti Dasgupta28 October 2022 10:15

Iran withholding bodies of protesters from families, UN says

The UN human rights office on Friday voiced concern about Iran’s treatment of detained protesters and said that authorities were refusing to release some of the bodies of those killed.

"We’ve seen a lot of ill treatment...but also harassment of the families of protesters," Ravina Shamdasani, spokesperson of the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights, told a Geneva press briefing, citing multiple sources.

She added that in some cases, authorities were withholding the bodies of dead protesters from families or only releasing them on condition that they do not hold a funeral or speak to the media.

Matt Mathers28 October 2022 10:38

ICYMI: Thousands gather in Mahsa Amini’s hometown to commemorate 40 days since her death

Thousands of people have flocked to the hometown of Mahsa Amini to mark 40 days since her death in the custody of Iran’s morality police.

This footage shows a long line of people making their way to the memorial at her grave in Saqqez on Wednesday, 26 October.

Watch:

Thousands gather in Mahsa Amini’s hometown to commemorate 40 days since her death

Thousands of people have flocked to the hometown of Mahsa Amini to mark 40 days since her death in the custody of Iran’s morality police. This footage shows a long line of people making their way to the memorial at her grave in Saqqez on Wednesday, 26 October. A Kurdish rights group reported that security personnel fired live rounds and tear gas in the city’s Zindan Square during the service. The 22-year-old’s death sparked waves of protests across Iran, as members of the public called for an end to the Islamic Republic. Sign up for our newsletters.

Sravasti Dasgupta28 October 2022 11:00

Iran's elite Sharif University of Technology becomes protest hub

As demonstrations have swept across Iran — first sparked by the death of 22-year-old Mahsa Amini in the custody of the country’s morality police last month — the scientific powerhouse known as “Iran’s MIT” has emerged as an unexpected hub for protest, fueling Iran’s biggest antigovernment movement in over a decade.

The Sharif University of Technology is Iran’s elite technical school and boasts of several high profile alumni.

In the last month, protests have flared nearly every day for the past month at Sharif University.

Read this report by the Associated Press:

Iran's elite technical university emerges as hub of protests

As demonstrations erupt across Iran, the country's elite technical university has emerged as an unexpected hub for protest

Sravasti Dasgupta28 October 2022 12:00

How Iranians united on a night of dramatic protest against the regime

Wednesday night’s protests turned out to be a watershed moment for the Iranian opposition to the Islamic Republic.

Despite the regime having calculated that public anger would fizzle out, demonstrators came out in their largest numbers ever, including potentially tens of thousands in the country’s mostly Kurdish western areas who made their way to 22-year-old Mahsa Amini’s grave.

The Independent’s Borzou Daragahi reports:

How dramatic protests became a watershed moment for the Iranian regime

On Tehran’s Shariati Street, both sides geared up for battle in a confrontation that stretched into the night, as Borzou Daragahi reports

Sravasti Dasgupta28 October 2022 13:00

Protesters again confront police in southeast city

Protesters in Iran confronted security forces on Friday in a southeastern city that has seen weeks of unrest amid nationwide demonstrations following the September death of a woman detained by the country’s morality police.

The city of Zahedan, where protests were initially sparked by rape allegations against a police officer, have become the deadliest area of unrest following the death of 22-year-old Mahsa Amini.

Videos of the protests Friday in Zahedan around the city’s Makki Grand Mosque purportedly included the sound of gunfire. Later footage showed streaks of blood on tilework and bloody palm prints in the mosque’s courtyard, with activists saying they feared two people had been killed.

Iranian authorities did not immediately acknowledge Friday’s violence in Zahedan, a city in Iran’s Sistan and Baluchistan province that is located about 500 kilometers (310 miles) southeast of the the country’s capital, Tehran.

However, the state-run IRNA news agency carried a statement by the province’s security council earlier Friday saying that the police chief in Zahedan and another police official have been sacked over their handling of the Sept. 30 protest. The statement for the first time acknowledged that police shot and killed people praying at the time at a nearby mosque.

Matt Mathers28 October 2022 14:21

Explosions heard in Zahedan

Explosions were heard ringing out in the Iranian city of Zahedan as nationwide protests continued.

The explosions were captured in a video and uploaded to the Telegram messaging service. The clip has been verified by The Independent.

Borzou Daraghi, our international correspondent described the scenes in Zahedan as “horrific”.

Explosions ring out in Iranian city of Zahedan as protests continue
Matt Mathers28 October 2022 14:56

Join our commenting forum

Join thought-provoking conversations, follow other Independent readers and see their replies

Comments

Thank you for registering

Please refresh the page or navigate to another page on the site to be automatically logged inPlease refresh your browser to be logged in