Punishment of rioters to be followed up strictly, Raeisi vows

Referring to recent West-backed riots in the country, Iranian President Ebrahim Raeisi said that the enemies sought to harm the values of the Islamic Revolution by resorting to a new combined war, but the Iranian nation stood against this conspiracy.

Today, Iranian cities owe their security and safety to the blood of young people who stood up against the rioters, Raeisi said on Thursday, addressing the families of martyred security defenders.

In response to the request of the family of the martyred security defender, Raeisi vowed to identify, and punish the rioters seriously through relevant channels.

Although their loss is very difficult for everyone, the despair of the enemies is a big achievement, he noted.

He also referred to the double standard of the enemies regarding the issue of terrorism and human rights, saying, "Today, the enemies claim that they defend the "life" of the Iranian people but in practice, they assassinate innocent people in Shahcheragh Shrine."

Foreign-backed violence and riots erupted across Iran in September after the tragic death in police custody of a young Iranian woman, named as Mahsa Amini.

The unfortunate incident was immediately picked up by Western-based media outlets and officials, who -- without providing any convincing evidence -- started claiming that the woman had been "murdered" by police forces.

Iran also immediately released the CCTV footage showing the young lady fainting at a police station and being subsequently transferred to a hospital. Iranian authorities, meanwhile, conducted an investigation into the incident, concluding that Amini’s death had been caused by an illness, rather than alleged bodily harm.

Earlier this month, Iran's Interior Ministry said the country's enemy had been using the opportunity of Amini's case to wage a hybrid war against the Islamic Republic to weaken its national solidarity and hinder the country's progress. The ministry added that some 200 people had so far lost their lives in the riots that it held separatist and terrorist groups responsible for causing.

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