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| 2 Killed in Iran as Official Says Protesters Will ‘Pay the Price’ | 2 Killed in Iran as Official Says Protesters Will ‘Pay the Price’ |
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| Two protesters were reported killed and dozens of others arrested during demonstrations overnight across Iran, as the nation’s interior minister warned on Sunday that protesters would “pay the price” for what he called their unlawful actions. | Two protesters were reported killed and dozens of others arrested during demonstrations overnight across Iran, as the nation’s interior minister warned on Sunday that protesters would “pay the price” for what he called their unlawful actions. |
| President Hassan Rouhani was to address the nation in a televised speech on Sunday night, the semiofficial news agency ISNA said, after days of unrest that began as a protest over rising prices and other economic difficulties, and quickly grew into a nationwide outpouring of anger against the government. | President Hassan Rouhani was to address the nation in a televised speech on Sunday night, the semiofficial news agency ISNA said, after days of unrest that began as a protest over rising prices and other economic difficulties, and quickly grew into a nationwide outpouring of anger against the government. |
| Protests continued for a fourth day on Sunday, with video shared on social media showing the police in Tehran firing water cannon to try to disperse demonstrators gathering in Ferdowsi Square, according to Reuters. The footage could not be independently confirmed. | |
| There were also clashes between protesters and police officers in the city of Khoramdareh in Zanjan Province, in the country’s northwest, and reports of protests in Sanandaj and Kermanshah cities in western Iran. | |
| Semiofficial Iranian news outlets showed footage on Saturday of protesters attacking banks and municipal buildings across the nation, including a local government building in Tehran, according to reports. About 80 people were arrested overnight in Arak, a city southwest of Tehran, according to the Agence France-Presse news agency. | |
| “Those who damage public property, disrupt order and break the law must be responsible for their behavior and pay the price,” Iran’s interior minister, Abdolrahman Rahmani Fazli, said on state television Sunday, according to AFP. | “Those who damage public property, disrupt order and break the law must be responsible for their behavior and pay the price,” Iran’s interior minister, Abdolrahman Rahmani Fazli, said on state television Sunday, according to AFP. |
| “The spreading of violence, fear and terror will definitely be confronted,” he said. “The vigilance and intelligence of people has always led any plot to fail.” | “The spreading of violence, fear and terror will definitely be confronted,” he said. “The vigilance and intelligence of people has always led any plot to fail.” |
| Later on Sunday, state television said Iran would temporarily restrict access to some social media and messaging apps, like Instagram and the messaging app Telegram, to “maintain peace.” | |
| Telegram’s chief executive, Pavel Durov, later confirmed that the app had been blocked, posting a statement on Twitter on Sunday that said, “Iranian authorities started blocking Telegram in Iran today after we publicly refused to shut down channels of peaceful Iranian protesters.” | |
| He added: “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 added: “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.” |
| On Saturday, Telegram had suspended the account of one Iranian channel, Amad News, saying it had violated the service’s terms of use by calling for violence. Government officials had complained directly to Mr. Durov about the channel. | |
| The unauthorized protests have challenged the authorities, with crowds turning revolutionary slogans against the government of the Islamic Republic, which took power following a revolution in 1979. | The unauthorized protests have challenged the authorities, with crowds turning revolutionary slogans against the government of the Islamic Republic, which took power following a revolution in 1979. |
| Protesters in Tehran and elsewhere have called for the resignation of Iran’s supreme leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, as witnesses have described crowds chanting “Death to the dictator” and “Clerics should get lost.” | Protesters in Tehran and elsewhere have called for the resignation of Iran’s supreme leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, as witnesses have described crowds chanting “Death to the dictator” and “Clerics should get lost.” |
| Postings on social media showed what the posters said were protests in the city of Dorud, including bonfires in the street and graphic images of people with bloody wounds. At least one of the videos was verified by BBC Persian. | Postings on social media showed what the posters said were protests in the city of Dorud, including bonfires in the street and graphic images of people with bloody wounds. At least one of the videos was verified by BBC Persian. |
| The semiofficial Mehr news agency of Iran quoted a local official as saying that two protesters in Dorud were killed during the demonstrations overnight, according to The Associated Press. There had been earlier reports of at least two protesters being shot in that city. | The semiofficial Mehr news agency of Iran quoted a local official as saying that two protesters in Dorud were killed during the demonstrations overnight, according to The Associated Press. There had been earlier reports of at least two protesters being shot in that city. |
| According to The Associated Press, Mehr quoted Habibollah Khojastepour, identified as the security deputy of the governor of Lorestan, the province where Dorud is located, as saying the two were killed in clashes during an illegal gathering on Saturday night. | According to The Associated Press, Mehr quoted Habibollah Khojastepour, identified as the security deputy of the governor of Lorestan, the province where Dorud is located, as saying the two were killed in clashes during an illegal gathering on Saturday night. |
| “Two of our dear Dorodi citizens were killed,” he was quoted as saying, without explaining who killed them or how they died. | “Two of our dear Dorodi citizens were killed,” he was quoted as saying, without explaining who killed them or how they died. |
| Travel restrictions and a media blackout have made it difficult to confirm the reports and postings on social media. | Travel restrictions and a media blackout have made it difficult to confirm the reports and postings on social media. |
| President Trump, who as the protests spread had tweeted, “The world is watching!” doubled down on his criticism of the Iranian government on Sunday. He posted on Twitter: | President Trump, who as the protests spread had tweeted, “The world is watching!” doubled down on his criticism of the Iranian government on Sunday. He posted on Twitter: |
| “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!” | “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!” |