Page 6 - DMEA Week 41 2022

DMEA SECURITY & POLICY DMEA

Iranian oil workers reportedly strike in

solidarity with anti-regime protesters

MIDDLE EAST IN what could be an ominous development for protests. BBC Persian and Iran International
the regime in Iran, oil and petrochemical work- are two news providers accused by the regime
ers are reported to have come out on strike in of blatantly misleading coverage.
solidarity with the protesters who have mounted BBC Persian coverage on October 10
fierce street demonstrations across the country included the story of how videos posted online
for approaching a month. showed an Iranian teenager, Nika Shakarami,
More than 1,000 workers at the Bushehr and 16, protesting hours before her death. Shakar-
Damavand petrochemical plants carried out a ami is seen standing on a dumpster and burning
threat to go on strike, blocking streets and chant- her headscarf in Tehran. She later disappeared
ing “death to the dictator,” according to Radio after telling a friend she was being chased by
Farda. Social media indicated the walkouts then police. Her mother, Nasrin, has accused secu-
spread to the Kangan refinery. Official state rity forces of murdering her daughter. Officials
media claimed the industrial action was simply have claimed she died after being thrown from a
down to a temporary problem over the late pay- building that was under construction, possibly
ment of wages. Should it spread widely across by workmen.
Iran’s key oil and petrochemical industries, Teh- Protests have swept Iran since Mahsa Amini.
ran’s difficulties will intensify. a 22-year-old Iranian Kurdish woman, died on
At the weekend, meanwhile, there were September 16 while being held by Tehran moral-
reports in Tehran that some merchants at the ity police for wearing “inappropriate attire”.
bazaar shut down and joined the protests. That Sanctions imposed by the British govern-
might also concern the powers that maintain ment on October 10 banned Iran’s morality
Iran’s theocratic state as the capital’s bazaar police and other key public figures from going
merchants are usually seen as loyal to the to the UK.
government. “Hey world, hear me: I want a revolution. I
Iran’s political leadership, clearly struggling want to live freely and I am ready to die for it,”
to put an end to the protests led by women Reuters quoted a 17-year-old protester in a cen-
and “Generation Z” young people, held a cri- tral Iranian city as saying. The news agency did
sis meeting on October 9. Afterwards, officials not disclose the name and location of the pro-
called on Iranians to preserve national unity and tester due to security concerns.
stand against the “hostile plots” of the enemies The protester added: “Instead of dying every
of the Islamic system. Tehran has made various minute under this regime’s repression, I prefer to
accusations, pointing the finger at Saudi Arabia, die with their [security forces’] bullets in protests
Israel, the US and other foes for fomenting the for freedom.” ™
unrest.
The Oslo-based Iran Human Rights watch-
dog said on October 10 that at least 185 pro-
testers have been killed by the security forces,
including at least 19 children. The Iranian offi-
cial press has published the names of 24 security
officials the authorities claim have been killed by
“rioters” since the protests started.
Unverified video footage posted on social
media on October 10 showed huge protests in
the western Iranian city of Sanandaj. There were
reports of clashes between demonstrators and
security forces, with loud gunfire and explosions
heard throughout the city.
Several Iranian celebrities, meanwhile,
including football star Ali Daei, have been
reportedly been interrogated and had their
passports confiscated by the authorities. The
interrogations were apparently ordered after
the celebrities showed support for the protesters.
Tehran has condemned “partisan” for-
eign-based Farsi-language media outlets for Social media footage (unverified) said to show Iranian
what it says are efforts to exaggerate or trigger oil workers out on strike in support of the nationwide protests

P6 www. NEWSBASE .com Week 41 13•October•2022