The few images that came out yesterday of Iranian Kurdistan, especially its capital Sanadaj, were dominated by closed businesses; a scene that was repeated in other cities in this region of northeastern Iran where a general strike had been called. This happened when in many other cities in Iran protest mobilizations were once again arising, not only due to the death of the young Kurdish Mahsa Amini on September 16, but also in solidarity with the inhabitants of this area with a Kurdish majority, a population that represents the 10 percent Iran. “Sanandaj, Zahedan, I sacrifice my life for Iran”, were some of the slogans that were sung yesterday in Tehran and other cities in the country.
Since the tragic death of Mahsa or Jina by her Kurdish name, the cities of this region have been the protagonists of some of the main protests in Iran and, in response, it has also been one of the scenes of the greatest repression. Dozens of forces of members of the army and the Revolutionary Guards have been transferred there in recent weeks.
"In Sanandaj there are clashes in the streets every day, you can hear gunshots and loud explosions especially at night," a city resident said in a text message two days ago. Yesterday it was impossible to contact this man as a result of internet restrictions, which in that area of Iran are even greater than those in the rest of the country for almost a month, when the protests began. "Anyone who raises his voice is captured no matter if he is young or old," said the witness who asked that his name not be published. Similar situations are experienced in the original city of Mahsa, Saquez, where despite the repression schoolgirls have been seen protesting in the streets days ago.
The testimony of the witness agrees with the versions that are collected in some videos that are uploaded on social networks, many of them collected by the NGO Hengaw, specialized in Kurdish issues. In these images you can see dozens of patrols deployed especially in Sanandaj, where the most critical situation is being experienced. Some videos show how explosions and shots can be heard at night. Other footage has seen security officers breaking into houses to arrest protesters. There the inhabitants have also responded to the attacks of the security forces that end in strong confrontations. In one of the videos, a very young person is seen wounded in the street. Other versions spoke of at least one deceased officer.
The tension also extends to other cities, some of them bordering Iraq. Some versions claimed that yesterday at least 50 military vehicles were deployed in the city of Marivan, located near Iraqi Kurdistan. On Tuesday, Ahmad Vahidi, Iran's interior minister who was visiting the area, blamed Kurdish parties across the border for fueling the protests. Already weeks ago Iran launched dozens of missiles and drones towards the neighboring country that would have left at least 8 people dead.
The Kurdish area of Iran is one of the most militarized in the country and also one of the least developed in the country. “This region is one of the most sensitive for our security; the Islamic Republic has done a lot for them but for them it is not enough and there are many opponents within the population, ”explained a former Iranian diplomat a couple of years ago who then asked not to give his name because he was not authorized to speak about it. this matter. From time to time the military forces launch campaigns against opposition groups and the Nizam, or Iranian system, does not hide the fear that some groups or countries that are enemies of Iran will use this social discontent to create "chaos in the country".
This same logic operates in Sistán Baluchistan in the southeast of the country, the poorest region of the country. In the provincial capital, Zahedan, at least 82 people were killed on September 30 after the population was attacked by security forces during a large protest after the so-called Friday Prayer. By then the news had spread in the city that a young woman who had been arrested had been sexually abused by a police commander. This massacre has come to be known as "Black Friday".
"In solidarity with the people of Sanandaj and the heroic people of Zahedan", was the slogan that invited yesterday's protests. A day that was also marked by statements by the education minister who claimed that some of the young people detained in these four weeks of protests are being taken to "psychological education and correction centers." In the absence of exact figures, some versions speak of at least 28 dead youths and hundreds of detainees.
