More than 100 protesters voicing support for Azerbaijan and anger over Iran’s backing of Armenia have been arrested in Iran.
As military clashes between the Republic of Azerbaijan and Armenia continue, protests against Iran’s support of Armenia erupted in several Iranian cities on October 1.
Some of the demonstrations, which took place in Tehran, Tabriz, Urmia, Ardabil, Zanjan, Meshkinshahr, Maragheh, Marand, Naqadeh, Parsabad, and other cities, turned violent when Iranian security forces intervened.
Many of the cities where protests took place have large ethnic Azeri populations.
Turkish Azeri Iranian activists have expressed anger over the Iranian government’s apparent support for Armenia, along with Russia. Islamic Republic officials, however, have stated they are neutral on the two countries’ dispute over Nagorno-Karabakh.
In response, activists posted videos on social media showing the alleged transfer of Russian military equipment from Iran to Armenia.
The protests against Iranian and Russian support for neighboring Armenia followed a call-out on social media to support Azerbaijan on October 1.
Following this, dozens of Azerbaijani political, civil society, and student activists were summoned by the intelligence and security police in several cities. Security agents also carried out raids on some of their homes.
“The security forces arrested citizens before the rallies began,” one citizen journalist in Tehran told IranWire.
“As the rallies, which were attended by a large number of women, began, the protesters were beaten and detained by police and plainclothes officers and transferred to Etrat Cultural Center in Imam Hossein Square.
” According to him, “the security agents used more than four vans to transfer the detainees.”
In Tabriz, a protest rally was held on Rasteh Koocheh Street at the same time as protests in Tehran and Urmia.
As videos citizen journalists sent to IranWire show, security forces violently disrupted a peaceful gathering in Tabriz.
Police and plainclothes officers fired tear gas and rubber bullets and used batons to disperse the demonstrators.
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