NCRI Staff
NCRI – According to various reports, during clashes between the security forces and Gonabadi Dervishes on Monday night (February 19) in Pasdaran Avenues in Tehran, there security forces and two basijis were killed. The spokesman of Iranian regime’s repressive security forces confirmed that two members of Basij forces were killed during the clashes in Tehran. Other sources quoted him as saying three members of security forces were also killed during the clashes.
Several state-run news agencies also confirmed the news. The state-run ILNA news agency quoting Saeed Montazer al-Mahdi, spokesman of the law enforcement announced on Tuesday that two Basijis were killed during the clashes. This is while the state-run IRNA news agency confirmed in a report that three members of the Islamic Republic’s security forces were killed during the clashes with Dervishes.
The state-run Tasnim news agency affiliated to the terrorist Quds force in its report on Tuesday also confirmed the news and reported that three police officers and two Basij members were killed during the clash.
According to the state-run ILNA news agency, 300 Gonabadi Dervishes were arrested by the security forces during the clashes. Montazer al-Mehdi told ILNS: “Among the arrestees were the drivers of death cars (Bus and Samand which were used by people to run over the security forces), as well as the main assailants and key elements.”
According to the police spokesman, one of the Basijis was run over by Samand Vehicle and killed and another Basiji was killed by cold weapon.
Monday night, clashes occurred between the security forces and Gonabadi Dervishes after they gathered in front of the police station 102 in Pasdaran Avenue to demand the release of one of their leaders who was detained by the police.
Kasra Nouri, one of the Dervishes who were present at the scene told Deutsche Welle: “Right now, I am in Golestan Haftom Street. They attacked us a few minutes ago and arrested many of us. We defended ourselves. For now, they have besieged us and they may attack us again anyway.”
The Twitter account of “Majazuban Nour”, which covers the news of Gonabadi dervishes, also announced on Monday that some of the protesters have been shot by the security forces.
The security forces spokesman, Montazer al- Mehdi, wrote in his Telegram channel: “Some dervishes were preparing Cocktail Molotov explosives and some of them were ranting with a sword.”
Gonabadi dervishes have been targets of suppression and intimidation in Iran for many years. Many of them have been detained and imprisoned in recent years for “acting against national security”, “propaganda against the regime”, “disturbing public opinion” and “disturbing public order”. They have repeatedly called on international tribunals to pursue their rights.
