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Iran Focus
 Tehran, Iran, Aug. 03 – Violent clashes
erupted between young people and security forces in the Kurdish town of Saqqez, northwest Iran, and a prayer hall and vehicles
belonging to the police were set on fire on Wednesday, according to
witnesses.
The windows of several banks were shattered as people threw sticks and stones
at agents of the State Security Forces in Saqqez,
situated in the province of Kurdistan, a hotbed of anti-government
protests.
The latest clashes come in the wake of a series of protests that have swept
Kurdish towns and cities in Iran for the past weeks. Dozens of
protesters have been injured or arrested by government troops in several
towns.
The semi-official daily Jomhouri Islami, which is close to Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, warned in its Wednesday issue that “certain
people are trying to bring turmoil to western Iran in coordination with foreigners”.
“There are hidden hands at work to create chaos in the country through a
well-planned coordination”, the daily added. It also reported “suspicious
propaganda activities” against the theocratic regime in the south-eastern province of Baluchistan.
Today’s unrest in Saqqez started at Oqab Square just before noon as angry protestors, who
were in their hundreds, attacked a local Bassij
post with sticks and stones. The Bassij are
paramilitary Islamic vigilantes loyal to the Supreme Leader.
Protestors then split up into small groups attacking various government
buildings including the governor’s office. The commander of the State Security
Forces in Saqqez was also beaten by protestors.
Special anti-riot units of the Revolutionary Guards were brought in to put
down the unrest and a number of demonstrators were arrested.
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