Iran says army and Guards helped quell unrest, blames ‘US agents’
November 23, 2019, 11:05 am

Iran says army and Guards helped quell unrest, blames ‘US agents’

The unrest appears to be the worst violence at least since Iran stamped out a “Green Revolution” in 2009. (File photo AFP)

Iranian troops and members of the Revolutionary Guards helped police quell violent unrest in Kermanshah province this week, Iranian officials said on Saturday, accusing “US agents” of being among the protesters.

Rights group Amnesty International said at least 30 people were killed in the western province, making it the worst hit by days of protests over gasoline prices rises in which more than 100 people were killed nationwide. Iran rejected the death toll figures as “speculative”.

The unrest appears to be the worst violence at least since Iran stamped out a “Green Revolution” in 2009 when dozens of protesters were killed over several months.

“All the forces of the Revolutionary Guards, the (paramilitary) Basij, the Intelligence Ministry, police, and the army took part actively in controlling the situation,” Parviz Tavassolizadeh, the head of the judiciary in Kermanshah, was quoted as saying by the semi-official Fars news agency.

“Tavassolizadeh said the rioters were armed,” Fars reported. “They confronted agents ... and burned public property.”

Bahman Reyhani, the Revolutionary Guards commander in Kermanshah, said “the rioters belonged to anti-revolutionary (exiled opposition) groups and America’s intelligence services,” the semi-official Tasnim news agency reported.

Reyhani did not name the groups. Armed Iranian Kurdish militants have long operated near the province’s border with Iraq.

Officials have previously blamed “thugs” linked to exiles and foreign foes - the US, Israel, and Saudi Arabia - for stirring up the unrest, which led to the detention of about 1,000 demonstrators.

The Guards said calm had returned across Iran on Thursday.

Guards spokesman Brigadier General Ramezan Sharif said the protests had been initiated by royalists seeking the return of the Pahlavi dynasty toppled by the 1979 revolution, and the exiled Mujahideen Khalq armed opposition group, Tasnim reported.

He said “secessionist” groups were also involved, apparently referring to ethnic Arab and the Kurdish militants.

Sharif also said the US, Saudi Arabia and Israel “and their intelligence services helped stoke these events to cause insecurity in the country”, Tasnim reported.

Protests began in several areas on Nov. 15 after the government announced gasoline price hikes of at least 50 percent and imposed rationing, spreading to 100 towns and cities as demonstrators demanded senior officials step down.

State television showed thousands marching in pro-government rallies in several cities on Saturday.

source: Reuters

Campus siege nears end as Hong Kong gears up for election Saudi FM receives G20 baton from Japan as Kingdom prepares to host 2020 summit

BENEFIT, the Kingdom’s innovator and leading company in Fintech and electronic financial transactions service, has sponsored the BuildHer CityHack 2025 Hackathon, a two-day event spearheaded by the College of Engineering and Technology at the Royal University for Women (RUW).
Aimed at secondary school students, the event brought together a distinguished group of academic professionals and technology experts to mentor and inspire young participants.
More than 100 high school students from across the Kingdom of Bahrain took part in the hackathon, which featured an intensive programme of training workshops and hands-on sessions. These activities were tailored to enhance participants’ critical thinking, collaborative problem-solving, and team-building capabilities, while also encouraging the development of practical and sustainable solutions to contemporary challenges using modern technological tools.
BENEFIT’s Chief Executive Mr. Abdulwahed AlJanahi, commented: “Our support for this educational hackathon reflects our long-term strategic vision to nurture the talents of emerging national youth and empower the next generation of accomplished female leaders in technology. By fostering creativity and innovation, we aim to contribute meaningfully to Bahrain’s comprehensive development goals and align with the aspirations outlined in the Kingdom’s Vision 2030—an ambition in which BENEFIT plays a central role.”
Professor Riyadh Yousif Hamzah, President of the Royal University for Women, commented: “This initiative reflects our commitment to advancing women in STEM fields. We're cultivating a generation of creative, solution-driven female leaders who will drive national development. Our partnership with BENEFIT exemplifies the powerful synergy between academia and private sector in supporting educational innovation.”
Hanan Abdulla Hasan, Senior Manager, PR & Communication at BENEFIT, said: “We are honoured to collaborate with RUW in supporting this remarkable technology-focused event. It highlights our commitment to social responsibility, and our ongoing efforts to enhance the digital and innovation capabilities of young Bahraini women and foster their ability to harness technological tools in the service of a smarter, more sustainable future.”
For his part, Dr. Humam ElAgha, Acting Dean of the College of Engineering and Technology at the University, said: “BuildHer CityHack 2025 embodies our hands-on approach to education. By tackling real-world problems through creative thinking and sustainable solutions, we're preparing women to thrive in the knowledge economy – a cornerstone of the University's vision.”