Speaker Describes Security as Islamic Republic's Redline

Rasa - Iranian Parliament Speaker Ali Larijani on Sunday praised the prudent and tolerant approach shown by the police in handling the recent unrest in the capital, but meantime, vowed that the establishment would never ignore any move against security of the public.

News ID: 436592

Date: 26 February 2018 - 15:46

RNA - Larijani slammed the recent riot in Northern Tehran last week as "misconduct", warning that any such "wrong" and "unconventional" move to damage public security means crossing the redline.

"Creating problems for people's security is the redline of officials and the Islamic Republic," said Larijani who was speaking on the sidelines of a ceremony held in the capital on Sunday to honor the policemen killed in the recent riot in Northern Tehran's Pasdaran Street.

He further reiterated support for police's policy in handling the unrest, and said Islamic Republic officials "support all actions and measures that were taken by Basij and the law enforcement police" to end the recent riot.

"The law enforcement police and Basij (volunteer) forces acted wisely, strongly and prudently," the speaker added.

The riots took place overnight on Monday during an unauthorized gathering by the so-called Dervish sect near a police station, during which they engaged in clashes with ordinary people and police forces, according to officials.

During the clashes, an attacker ploughed a bus through a group of policemen, killing three of them.

A member of the Basij volunteer force also lost his life and another one is in coma following separate car-ramming and stabbing attacks at the site.

More than 300 people, among them the drivers of the bus and the car as well as the main elements behind the incident, had been arrested.

In a statement on Wednesday, the leader of Dervish sect, Nourali Tabandeh, apologized to the state and the nation for the riot and the violence exercised by his followers. He strongly condemned the attacks of his followers on the police, calling for the perpetrators of acts of violence to be brought to justice.

Iran's Supreme Leader Seyed Ali Khamenei and President Hassan Rouhani have both praised the security forces' thoughtful handling of the unrest.

Earlier today, Governor-general of Tehran province Mohammad Hossein Moqimi also lauded the Iranian law enforcement police forces for their wise handling of a several-hour-long riot by followers of religious sect in Northern capital.

"The law enforcement police entered the scene in a good manner after its planned moves and negotiations" with rioters failed to convince them to cool down "and ended a major riot which could create lots of problems, by using all possibilities and with the help of other forces, including Basij forces, Islamic Revolution Guards Corps (IRGC) and the intelligence ministry, and without even inflicting any tolls on the opposite side" Moqimi told FNA on Sunday.

He noted that the police made its utmost efforts to wrap up the unrests through talks "but the rioters launched a bus attack and ran over a number of law enforcement police personnel and martyred them".

Moqimi also appreciated the residents of Pasdaran neighborhood in Northern Tehran for their assistance to the police to end the riots.

847/940