As protests continue across Iran over of the death of 22-year-old Mahsa Amini while in police custody, Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi has warned that he will not accept "chaos" throughout the country. The protests have caused 41 deaths, including security personnel, and approximately 1,200 arrests, per state media as reported by the BBC.
Amini died in the hospital on Sept.16 after being detained by morality police for allegedly violating the law requiring women to wear a hijab or headscarf. Raisi said that Amini's death "saddened all" and promised that it would be investigated properly by forensics and that they would "report on her death in the coming days."
Amini's death sparked widespread anti-government protests. The Iranian government attempted to stifle the backlash through the use of tear gas, clubs, and even ammunition; however, the protests nevertheless persisted, reports Reuters. Iran's former judiciary chief issued a warning that there is a difference between protests and riots and that "those who took part in the riots must be dealt with decisively."
Support for the protests has come from all around the world and includes several Iranian celebrities inside and outside the country. Iran's judiciary has warned that charges will be pressed accordingly, Reuters continues. The government has also accused the United States and some European countries of trying to destabilize the Islamic Republic through unrest.
"The government's red line is our people's security," Raisi said in an interview, "One cannot allow people to disturb the peace of society through riots."
