Citizens have right to protest, says Rouhani
TEHRAN: Iranian President Hassan Rouhani said on Thursday citizens have “the right” to demonstrate, ater days of protests against water shortages in southwestern Khuzestan province in which three people have been killed.
The people of Khuzestan “have the right to speak, express themselves, protest and even take to the streets, within the framework of the regulations,” Rouhani said, in a speech broadcast on state television.
“It is possible that a malicious person could take advantage of the situation, come in the middle of it all and use a gun, shoot and kill one of our dear (citizens),” Rouhani added without explaining further.
“If there is a problem, I ask (the people of Khuzestan) to solve it legally,” Rouhani said.
Admiral Ali Shamkhani, secretary general of the Supreme National Security Council, said on Thursday that “the security forces had been ordered to immediately release those detained during the recent incidents in Khuzestan, who had not have commited a criminal act.” Separately, the Danish military said on Thursday it spoted an Iranian destroyer and a large support vessel sailing through the Baltic Sea, likely heading to Russia for a military parade in the coming days.
The Danish Defense Ministry posted photographs online from the Royal Danish Air Force of the new domestically built Iranian destroyer Sahand and the intelligence-gathering vessel Makran passing by the Danish island of Bornholm.
“It is expected that they are on their way to the annual naval parade in St. Petersburg,” the Danish military wrote on Twiter.
Earlier Thursday, Iran’s state-run IRNA news agency reported that the country’s navy commander, Admiral Hossein Khanzadi, will join the Russian naval parade at St Petersburg ater receiving an invitation from the Russian defense minister.
IRNA also said the Sahand will join the parade “if the Russian-planned programs are in line with the plans of the Iranian fleet.” The naval parade is expected to take place on Sunday, according to Russian state media.