The Chief of Staff of the Armed Forces of the Islamic Republic stated on Wednesday, January 10, that the deaths in the recent nationwide protests in Iran are considered 'suspicious' and denied that military and law enforcement forces came to the streets 'with weapons.' According to a report by Tasnim News Agency, Mohammad Baqeri stated, 'We have not encountered a single case where law enforcement, the IRGC, or Basij came to the streets armed.' Less than two weeks ago, nationwide protests erupted in Iran, starting in the city of Mashhad with slogans criticizing the economic situation of the people and quickly expanding to political issues and the very principle of the Islamic Republic. These protests brought people to the streets in over fifty cities, resulting in several casualties and thousands of arrests. Mr. Baqeri referred to these protests as 'riots' and implicitly denied that law enforcement and military forces were responsible for the deaths of the protesters. According to this senior military commander, 'According to the guidelines of the General Staff of the Armed Forces, ... no one comes to the streets with weapons.' However, Mr. Baqeri did not propose any hypothesis regarding how some protesters were killed in the streets. According to official statistics, at least 22 people lost their lives during these protests, separate from the number of individuals reported to have died in custody after being arrested by security forces. Mohammad Baqeri stated, 'The cases of those killed are mainly suspicious; as the shootings occurred from behind or from unspecified areas, which are under investigation.' Nevertheless, he added, 'In this regard, we have no cases unless there has been an attack on a military base, which military units worldwide are obliged to defend themselves in such situations.' Following the onset of street protests in Iran, which initially began with the slogan 'No to Inflation' and quickly escalated to political demands, all official figures in the country, including the Supreme Leader, President, and his deputies and ministers, attributed these unrests to the 'enemy.'
Chief of Staff of Iran's Armed Forces: Deaths in Recent Protests are Mainly Suspicious
The Chief of Staff of Iran's Armed Forces, Mohammad Baqeri, labeled the deaths in recent protests as suspicious and denied that military forces were armed during the events. The protests, which began over economic grievances, escalated into broader political demands, resulting in casualties and arrests across the country. This situation highlights ongoing tensions in Iran and the government's response to dissent.
👥 Key Players
⚡ Actions
📰 What Happened
Iran's military chief claims recent protest deaths are suspicious, denying armed involvement by forces.
- Mohammad Baqeri announce protesters
- Mohammad Baqeri deny military and law enforcement forces
- Mohammad Baqeri designate protests
💡 Why It Matters
📚 Background
The Iranian military is distancing itself from responsibility for protest-related deaths.
📝 Key Evidence
🏷️ Entities Mentioned
Translated from the original and edited for English readers. View original source →
Translation confidence: 85%