- 12 killed, many arrested as popular protests spread
- ‘Khamenei leave the country,’ chant demonstrators
Washington/Tehran — US President Donald Trump said Monday it was “time for change” in Iran and that the country’s people were “hungry” for freedom, after days of deadly protests against the government in Tehran.
“Iran is failing at every level despite the terrible deal made with them by the Obama Administration,” Trump tweeted, referring to the nuclear pact sealed under his Democratic predecessor Barack Obama.
“The great Iranian people have been repressed for many years. They are hungry for food & for freedom. Along with human rights, the wealth of Iran is being looted. TIME FOR CHANGE!”
At least 12 people have been killed in the ongoing protests in Iran, and armed protesters have tried to take over police stations and military bases, state TV reported Monday.
The protests began Thursday in Mashhad over economic issues and have since expanded to several cities, with some protesters chanting against the government and supreme leader Ali Khamenei.
Hundreds of people have been arrested.
Demonstrators initially vented their anger over economic hardships and alleged corruption, but the protests took on a rare political dimension, with a growing number of people calling on supreme leader Ali Khamenei to step down.
The protests were the biggest since unrest in 2009 that followed the disputed re-election of then-President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad.
Videos showed people in central Tehran chanting: “Down with the dictator!” in an apparent reference to Khamenei.
Protesters in Khorramabad in western Iran shouted: “Khamenei, shame on you, leave the country alone!”
The government said it would temporarily restrict access to the Telegram messaging app and Instagram, owned by Facebook Inc, state television said.
There were also reports that mobile access to the internet was being blocked in some areas. — Agencies
