Despite repressive measures and widespread arrests, the enraged people of Shahrekord continued their protests on Sunday evening, May 16, the fifth day of the uprising against unbridled price hikes. Repressive forces fired tear gas and opened fire on the demonstrators, however, people continued to demonstrate, chanting, “have no fear, we’re all in this together.” The regime has disabled Internet access in the city.
The People’s Mojahedin of Iran (PMOI/MEK) “showed their enmity by attacking the offices of the Friday prayer leaders, seminaries, and Basij bases,” said Ahmad Rastineh, a regime parliament deputy from Chaharmahal and Bakhtiari Province, who is terrified of the popular uprising continuing.
“Last night, they were armed when attacking the Basij base… during which a number of Basijis were wounded and one was targeted by direct fire from the hypocrites (regime’s pejorative term to demonize the MEK),” Rastineh said, according to state-run Radio Farhang on May 15.
The State TV, main news channel – Shabakeh Khabar, quoting the IRGC Brig. Gen Ahmad Vahidi, the current regime’s Interior Minister, said, on May 13, “the MEK will not give up, they will continue their desperate efforts, and it is natural for them to, for example, try to bring in some of these people (to protest) who are, however, mercenaries and affiliated with the same terrorist groups.”
On the same day, cleric Ahmadreza Shahrokhi, Khamenei’s representative in Khorramabad, told state television: “By publicizing the shortage of goods in cyberspace, the MEK seeks to provoke public opinion.”
In another development, on Sunday, May 15, 2022, social security retirees and pensioners staged a protest against rising prices and low pay. Protesters gathered outside the regime parliament in Tehran, as well as outside the city social security offices in Isfahan, Mashhad, Arak, Ilam, Karaj, Ahvaz, Tabriz, and Qazvin.
Repressive SSF and plainclothes forces in Tehran prevented the retirees from assembling. The retirees, chanted, “You [Raisi], sixth-grader, what happened to your promises?” in reference to the regime’s president. “Inflation and high prices are killing people.”
Simultaneously, Iranian Resistance supporters demonstrated in Berlin, Stuttgart, Heidelberg, Gothenburg, Ottawa, and Bucharest, as well as in Washington, D.C. (in front of the White House) in support of nationwide anti-price protests. They chanted: “Laborers and the poor, MEK stands with you, and supports your struggle,” “We will fight, we will take back Iran.”
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