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Protests in the Islamic Republic have been going on for more than a week. Protesters took to the streets in large numbers Iran cities, including the capital Tehran, for eight consecutive nights since Masha Amini’s death. The 22-year-old woman died three days after being arrested for wearing the hijab in an “inappropriate” manner.
Amini died after being arrested by the Iranian moral police, responsible for enforcing the Islamic Republic’s strict dress code for women. Activists said she was shot in the head while she was in custody, but Iranian authorities denied that violence was used.
The US said Friday it would ease export restrictions to improve Iran’s internet access, which has been severely restricted by the Tehran government since Amini’s death.
“With these steps, we will help ensure that the Iranian people are not kept in isolation and in the dark,” said US Secretary of State Anthony Blinken. “This is a concrete step to provide significant support to the Iranians in calling for their fundamental rights to be respected.”
The media reported that demonstrations in support of the country’s security forces were also held in Iran on Friday.
Iran has fought waves of protests in the recent past, largely due to a protracted economic crisis exacerbated by US sanctions on its nuclear program. In November 2019, the country witnessed its deadliest violence since the 1979 Islamic revolution, amid protests over a state-controlled gasoline price hike. Hundreds of people are estimated to have died in these protests.
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