Commander-in-Chief of Iran Revolutionary Guards Issues Strong Warning to Suppress Hijab Protests

[Photo by AFP Yonhap News]

[Asia Economy Reporter Park Byung-hee] The commander-in-chief of Iran's elite Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) has warned of a strong crackdown on anti-government protesters.

On the 29th (local time), according to the state-run IRNA news agency, Hossein Salami, the commander-in-chief, attended the funeral of the victims of the terrorist attack at the Islamic holy site Shah Cheragh shrine in the central city of Shiraz and sharply stated, "Protesters should no longer take to the streets." Salami warned, "The anti-government protests have been carried out according to the plans of the United States and the Zionist regime (Israel)," adding, "Today will be the last day of the riots."

In Iran, widespread anti-government protests have continued since last month on the 13th, after a woman in her 20s, Mahsa Amini, was arrested by police for not properly wearing a hijab and died under suspicious circumstances.

On the 26th, a large-scale anti-government protest was held to mark the 40th day since Amini's death, and a shooting terrorist attack occurred at the Islamic Shia holy site Shah Cheragh shrine. The attack resulted in 15 deaths and about 40 injuries. Following the shooting, the Sunni extremist armed group Islamic State (IS) claimed responsibility.

The Iranian government claimed that many security personnel were deployed to suppress the anti-government protests, which created gaps in terrorism prevention.

On the same day, Commander Salami also criticized the royal family of Saudi Arabia, an Islamic Sunni country.

He stated, "There is a need to be cautious of the Saudi royal family and the media under their control," asserting, "They are forces that provoke the Iranian people and sow the seeds of riots."

Human rights organizations based abroad have estimated that at least 250 anti-government protesters have died in connection with the authorities' crackdown.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.