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A30 world news
Diasabra 24 Juli 2021
Iran’s top leader says he understands protests over drought

war against Iraq in the 1980’s, officer and two civilians had ment to allow its citizens to
The remark, reported by adding that “the people been killed amid the pro- exercise their universal rights
state television, was the first should not face problems“ tests. The reports pointed out of freedom of expression as
direct comment on the pro- anymore. online videos, alleging they well as freely access informa-
tests by Khamenei since the show demonstrators carrying tion online,” she said.
demonstrations began in the Protests have taken place in firearms. Iran has in the past
Khuzestan region a week ago. many cities and towns of blamed protesters for deaths The protests in Khuzestan
The semiofficial news agency Khuzestan, according to the that occur during heavy- come as Iran struggles
Fars reported that a man was Human Rights Activists in handed crackdowns by secu- through repeated waves of in-
killed by shotgun fire in street Iran group. Security forces rity forces. fection amid the coronavirus
violence in the nearby city of have fired tear gas and water pandemic, and as thousands
Aligoudarz; police blamed cannons, and have clashed Mobile phone internet ser- of workers in its oil industry
the slaying on “counterrevo- with demonstrators, the vice in Iran was disrupted are on strike to demand bet-
lutionary elements.” group added. during the protests, accord- ter wages and working condi-
ing to Internet-access advo- tions.
“People showed their discon- On Friday, Amnesty Interna- cacy group NetBlocks.org.
tent, but we cannot have any tional said security forces had Iran’s economy has also
(AP) — Iran’s Supreme complaint since the issue of used live ammunition dur- In Washington, State Depart- struggled under U.S. sanc-
Leader leader Ayatol- water in the hot climate of ing the protests, and it urged ment’s deputy spokesperson tions since then-President
lah Ali Khamenei on Fri- Khuzestan is not a minor is- them not to do so. “Using Jalina Porters told reporters Donald Trump’s 2018 deci-
day said he understands sue,” Khamenei was quoted live ammunition against un- that the administration was sion to unilaterally withdraw
protesters’ anger over a as saying. He accused Iran’s armed protesters posing no “closely following reports” America from Tehran’s nu-
drought in the country’s enemies of trying to exploit imminent threat to life is of the protests in Iran as well clear deal with world powers
southwest, as a fourth the situation. horrifying,” Amnesty said in as reports of “government- and imposing harsh sanction,
death related to ongoing He praised the people of the a statement. imposed internet shutdowns crashing the value of the Is-
demonstrations there was region for their loyalty and Iranian state media had pre- in the region.” lamic Republic’s currency,
reported. efforts during the devastating viously reported that a police “We urge the Iranian govern- the rial.

To reach a peace deal, Taliban say Afghan president must go

(AP) — The Taliban say applying by the thousands in the government and heads were tantamount to demand- tary tribunal and punished,
they don’t want to mo- for visas to leave Afghani- the reconciliation council. ing a Taliban surrender. though he did provide specif-
nopolize power, but they stan, fearing a violent descent Asked about the Taliban de- ics. He contended the video
insist there won’t be peace into chaos. The U.S.-NATO mand that Ghani be removed “They don’t want reconcili- was fake, a splicing of sepa-
in Afghanistan until there withdrawal is more than 95% as a condition of a peace ation, but they want surren- rate footage.
is a new negotiated gov- complete and due to be fin- agreement, White House dering,” he said.
ernment in Kabul and ished by Aug. 31. press secretary Jen Psaki on Shaheen said there are no
President Ashraf Ghani is Friday affirmed President Before any cease-fire, there plans to make a military push
removed. Shaheen said the Taliban Joe Biden’s support for the must be an agreement on a on Kabul and that the Tal-
will lay down their weapons Afghan president. Psaki said new government “acceptable iban have so far “restrained”
In an interview with The when a negotiated govern- that Biden was also sched- to us and to other Afghans,” themselves from taking
Associated Press, Taliban ment acceptable to all sides in uled to speak with Ghani by he said. Then “there will be provincial capitals. But he
spokesman, Suhail Shaheen, the conflict is installed in Ka- phone later in the day. no war.” warned they could, given the
who is also a member of the bul and Ghani’s government weapons and equipment they
group’s negotiating team, laid is gone. “The President and the ad- Shaheen said under this new have acquired in newly cap-
out the insurgents’ stance on ministration supports the government, women will tured districts. He contended
what should come next in a “I want to make it clear that leadership of the Afghan peo- be allowed to work, go to that the majority of the Tal-
country on the precipice. we do not believe in the mo- ple, including Ashraf Ghani,” school, and participate in pol- iban’s battlefield successes
nopoly of power because any Psaki said and added, “A po- itics, but will have to wear the came through negotiations,
The Taliban have swiftly governments who (sought) litical solution is the only hijab, or headscarf. He said not fighting.
captured territory in recent to monopolize power in Af- outcome to lasting peace in women won’t be required
weeks, seized strategic border ghanistan in the past, were Afghanistan.” to have a male relative with “Those districts which have
crossings and are threatening not successful governments,” them to leave their home, fallen to us and the military
a number of provincial capi- said Shaheen, apparently in- Ghani has often said he will and that Taliban commanders forces who have joined us ...
tals — advances that come as cluding the Taliban’s own remain in office until new in newly occupied districts were through mediation of
the last U.S. and NATO sol- five-year rule in that assess- elections can determine the have orders that universities, the people, through talks,”
diers leave Afghanistan. ment. “So we do not want to next government. His crit- schools and markets operate he said. “They (did not fall)
repeat that same formula.” ics — including ones outside as before, including with the through fighting ... it would
This week, the top U.S. mili- the Taliban — accuse him of participation of women and have been very hard for us to
tary officer, Gen. Mark Mil- But he was also uncompro- seeking only to keep power, girls. take 194 districts in just eight
ley, told a Pentagon press mising on the continued rule causing splits among govern- weeks.”
conference that the Taliban of Ghani, calling him a war ment supporters. However, there have been re-
have “strategic momentum,” monger and accusing him of peated reports from captured The Taliban control about
and he did not rule out a using his Tuesday speech on Last weekend, Abdullah districts of Taliban imposing half of Afghanistan’s 419 dis-
complete Taliban takeover. the Islamic holy day of Eid- headed a high-level delega- harsh restrictions on women, trict centers, and while they
But he said it is not inevi- al-Adha to promise an offen- tion to the Qatari capital of even setting fire to schools. have yet to capture any of the
table. “I don’t think the end sive against the Taliban. Doha for talks with Taliban One gruesome video that 34 provincial capitals, they
game is yet written,” he said. leaders. It ended with prom- emerged appeared to show are pressuring about half of
Shaheen dismissed Ghani’s ises of more talks, as well as Taliban killing captured com- them, Milley said. In recent
Memories of the Taliban’s right to govern, resurrect- greater attention to the pro- mandos in northern Afghani- days, the U.S. has carried out
last time in power some 20 ing allegations of wide- tection of civilians and infra- stan. airstrikes in support of belea-
years ago, when they en- spread fraud that surrounded structure. guered Afghan government
forced a harsh brand of Islam Ghani’s 2019 election win. Shaheen said some Taliban troops in the southern city
that denied girls an educa- After that vote, both Ghani Shaheen called the talks a commanders had ignored the of Kandahar, around which
tion and barred women from and his rival Abdullah Abdul- good beginning. But he said leadership’s orders against re- the Taliban have been amass-
work, have stoked fears of lah declared themselves pres- the government’s repeated pressive and drastic behavior ing, Pentagon press secretary
their return among many. Af- ident. After a compromise demands for a cease-fire and that several have been John Kirby said Thursday.
ghans who can afford it are deal, Abdullah is now No. 2 while Ghani stayed in power put before a Taliban mili-