Kurdish cities in Iran go on general strike

Rudaw

ERBIL, Kurdistan Region - Shops across the Kurdish cities in western Iran (Rojhelat) went on strike on Tuesday as nationwide protests sparked by the death of a young Kurdish woman approach their three month mark.

General strikes were declared in Sanandaj, Saqqez, Divandarreh, Baneh, Javanroud, Kermanshah, Piranshahr, Ilam, Urmia, Mahabad, and Paveh, among others. Hengaw Organization for Human Rights reported that 21 Kurdish cities were on strike. 

The watchdog added that security forces sealed off the shops in Ravansar on Tuesday that had participated in the strikes two days before. Employees at a petrochemical company in Sanandaj have also been on strike for two consecutive days. 

Protests also continued in other parts of Iran, including outside the notorious Evin prison in Tehran where families of the detainees gathered, demanding the release of their loved ones. 

The strikes come after videos on social media showing security forces redeploying in the Kurdish city of Saqqez. 

Protests broke out across Iran on September 16 over the death of Zhina (Mahsa) Amini while in police custody in Tehran. The Kurdish areas of the country have been the epicenter of the protest movement. 

US-based Human Rights Activists News Agency (HRANA) placed the countrywide death toll at 473 protesters, including 64 children. It added that 61 members of the security forces were also killed. 

On the sidelines of the J Street National Conference, US Congressman Gerry Connolly told Rudaw’s Diyar Kurda on Monday that he believes “it is a long overdue that Iran moves towards liberalization and towards providing democratic freedom, especially for young population throughout the country.”

The Iranian regime has on several occasions referred to the nation-wide protests as an agenda of the west, especially their foes US and Israel.

The commander of the IRGC late last month labeled protesters as "disbelievers" a day after Supreme Leader Khameni warned protesters to bring the movement to an end and green lighted further crackdown against them.