Iran condemns police suppression against the protesters in France and calls on the French government to respect human rights

Iran said on Friday that it strongly condemns the suppression of the demonstrators in France, appealing to Paris to avoid violence and listen to the demonstrators, the day after a new day of protests over the reform of the pension system, punctuated by violence during which hundreds were arrested.

More than 450 people were arrested and 441 policemen and gendarmes were injured on Thursday, according to what French Interior Minister Gérald Darmanin announced, during the day of mobilization, which was marked by the most serious acts of violence since the start of this movement in January.

“We strongly condemn the suppression of the peaceful demonstrations of the French people,” Iranian Foreign Minister Hossein Amir-Abdollahian wrote on Twitter.

“We call on the French government to respect human rights and to refrain from resorting to force against its people, who are peacefully pursuing their claims,” ​​he added.

The Iranian Foreign minister’s tweet came shortly after a tweet posted by the Iranian Foreign ministry’s spokesman, Nasser Kanaani, in which he said, “The French government should speak to its people and listen to their voice”.

Kanaani added, “We don’t support vandalism and riots, but we say that instead of sowing chaos in other countries, you must listen to the voice of your people and avoid using violence against them”.

Kanaani refers to the criticism issued by many countries, including France, regarding the suppression of the demonstrations that followed the death of the young woman, Mahsa Amini, on September 16, after the police arrested her for violating the strict dress code in Iran.

Hundreds of people were killed, including dozens of members of the security forces, and thousands were arrested during these demonstrations, some of which the Iranian authorities described as riots planned by Israel and Western countries.

The European Union, as well as the United States and the United Kingdom, imposed a series of sanctions on Tehran, especially because of the suppression of demonstrations led by women.

Kanaani emphasized that “Whoever sows the wind will reap the storm, and this kind of violence is incompatible with teaching others moral lessons”.

France is witnessing demonstrations and strikes due to the reform of the pension system, prompted by President Emmanuel Macron and his government.

The protest movement gained new momentum after the government passed the reform project without a vote in the National Assembly, based on a constitutional provision.