IRGC THREATEN CRACKDOWN ON PROTESTERS
/PanARMENIAN.Net/
22.06.2009 19:14 GMT+04:00
/PanARMENIAN.Net/ Iranian protesters who "disturb the peace and stand
up to security forces" will be considered a threat to the regime and
will be met with a strong response, the country’s Revolutionary Guard
warned Monday, CNN reported.
"The guardians of the Islamic revolution and the courageous Basiji
together with the security forces following the orders of the
supreme leader and following him unquestioningly, are determined
to act strongly to return peace and tranquility to society … and
to clean the country of these plotters and hooligans," the Islamic
Revolutionary Guard Corps said in a statement.
Iran’s Revolutionary Guard is directly under the control of Supreme
Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei and enforces the government’s Islamic
codes and morality. It was initially created to protect the leaders of
the revolution, but over the years, it has broadened its scope. With
more than 200,000 members, it is tasked with overseeing the country’s
crucial interests, including guarding its oil fields and missile
arsenals.
The Basij is a volunteer paramilitary force that takes orders from the
Revolutionary Guard. It plays the role of de facto morality police
and is often summoned to crack down on protests. It is unknown how
large the force is, though estimates are in the millions.
At least 19 people were killed in clashes in Tehran on Saturday as
Iranians took to the streets to protest the results of the June 12
presidential election, according to hospital sources.
Iranian-funded Press TV confirmed 13 fatalities, while unconfirmed
reports put the number as high as 150. Tehran’s prosecutor general’s
office said it has launched an investigation into the killings.
Italy said it’s willing to open its embassy in Tehran to wounded
protesters in coordination with other European nations, the Italian
Foreign Ministry said.
The move followed a Swedish initiative to look into whether European
Union nations can put together a plan to take in and provide aid to
demonstrators at their embassies in Iran.