Iran protests continue; 'iron fist' warning
TEHRAN, December 31, 2017
Several Iranians were shot during anti-government protests late Saturday, sources said even as Iran's Revolutionary Guards have warned protesters they will face the nation's "iron fist" if the unrest continues.
The demonstrations erupted three days back over falling living standards, a BBC report said.
But a Revolutionary Guards commander said the protests had degenerated into people chanting political slogans and burning public property.
They are the biggest show of dissent since huge pro-reform rallies in 2009. There are reports of two deaths, BBC said.
There were calls for the removal or death of Iran's Supreme leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, in the cities of Khoramabad, Zanjan and Ahvaz.
One resident was quoted by CNN of witnessing a protester tearing down a poster of Khamenei near Tehran University on Saturday.
Brigadier-General Esmail Kowsari told the ISNA news agency: "If people came into the streets over high prices, they should not have chanted those slogans and burned public property and cars."
Iran's interior minister has also warned the public to avoid "illegal gatherings".
Protests began in the northeastern city of Mashhad on Thursday and spread to other major cities on Friday.
A small demonstration in Tehran grew to several thousand people on Saturday, and students clashed with police. The protests also became violent in several other towns.
