Macron Calls for Restraint from Iran in Dealing with Protesters

Emmanuel Macron, the President of France, on Tuesday, January 2, called for restraint in dealing with protesters in Iran during a phone conversation with Hassan Rouhani. According to Reuters, the French presidential office stated that Macron expressed concern over the rising death toll from the protests in Iran and urged Rouhani to respect the right to freedom of expression and assembly for the protesters. The French presidency also announced that the visit of Jean-Yves Le Drian, the French Foreign Minister, to Iran has been postponed. Meanwhile, the Iranian presidential office reported that Hassan Rouhani, in his phone call with his French counterpart, accused the Mojahedin-e Khalq Organization of 'instigating and inciting violence in Iran' and urged the French government to fulfill what he called its 'legal duty' regarding this group. According to the Iranian President's office, Rouhani labeled the Mojahedin-e Khalq as 'terrorists' and asked the French government to act in accordance with its legal obligations in the fight against terrorism and violence concerning this group. Ali Shamkhani, the Secretary of Iran's Supreme National Security Council, also accused Saudi Arabia of 'being involved' in the recent widespread protests in Iran and claimed that the Mojahedin-e Khalq is collaborating with Saudi Arabia. The National Council of Resistance of Iran, among the opposition groups supporting the protests in Iran, has been vocal about the situation. Maryam Rajavi, a senior leader of the Mojahedin-e Khalq, stated, 'The only way to free ourselves from economic and social problems is to overthrow the clerical regime.' The Islamic Republic of Iran considers the National Council of Resistance and the Mojahedin-e Khalq as 'terrorist organizations.' The protests in Iran, which began last Thursday in Mashhad, Nishapur, and Kashmar, quickly spread to other cities, marking the most extensive unrest in Iran in the past eight years. Reports from Iran indicate that at least 21 people have lost their lives in these protests over the past six days, and dozens have been injured. Iranian security officials have also reported the arrest of over a thousand individuals during these protests. In this context, the United States has called for an emergency Security Council meeting regarding the developments in Iran. Over a thousand people have been arrested in the protests, and at least 21 have been killed. Trump praised the Iranian protesters for confronting the 'ruthless and corrupt' government. The Tehran governor reported the arrest of 450 people in the last three days in Tehran. The European Union has called for the right to peaceful protests in Iran to be guaranteed.