Iran general puts dead in unrest at over 300

Toll from nationwide anti-government protests lower than that of US-based group

An Iranian general acknowledged that more than 300 people had been killed during the nationwide anti-government protests, giving the first official word on casualties in two months.

That estimate is lower than the toll reported by Human Rights Activists in Iran, a United Statesbased group that has been tracking the protests since they erupted after the September 16 death of a young woman being held by the country’s morality police.

The group said 451 protesters and 60 members of security forces had been killed since the start of the unrest and more than 18,000 people had been detained.

The protests were sparked by the death of 22-year-old Mahsa Amini, who was detained for allegedly violating the Islamic Republic’s strict dress code.

They escalated into calls for the overthrow of Iran’s theocracy and pose one of the most serious challenges to the ruling clerics since the 1979 revolution that brought them to power.

Iran will not engage in any cooperation … with the [UN factfinding mission]

NASSER KANAANI,

FOREIGN MINISTRY SPOKESMAN

General Amir Ali Hajizadeh, the commander of the aerospace division of the paramilitary Revolutionary Guard, was quoted by a website close to the Guard as saying that more than 300 people had been killed, including “martyrs”, an apparent reference to the members of the security forces.

He also suggested that many of those killed were civilians not involved in the protests. He did not provide an exact figure or say where his estimate came from.

Authorities have restricted media coverage of the protests. State-linked media have not reported an overall toll and have focused on attacks on security forces, which officials blame on militant and separatist groups.

Hajizadeh said the protests had been fomented by Iran’s enemies, including Western countries and Saudi Arabia.

But the protesters said they were fed up after decades of social and political repression, and denied having any foreign agenda.

The protests have drawn support from artists, athletes and other public figures. The unrest has even cast a shadow over the football World Cup, with some Iranians rooting against their own team because they see it as being linked to the government.

The protests have continued despite a brutal crackdown by security forces using live ammunition, rubber bullets and tear gas.

Iran has refused to cooperate with a fact-finding mission that the UN Human Rights Council recently voted to establish.

“The Islamic Republic of Iran will not engage in any cooperation, whatsoever, with the political committee,” foreign ministry spokesman Nasser Kanaani said.