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DUBAI, Dec 25 (Reuters) – Iran’s Revolutionary Guards arrested seven people on Sunday, including two citizens with ties to the United Kingdom, over anti-government protests that have rocked the country, a statement published by state media said.
“Seven key leaders of recent protests related to the UK were detained by the intelligence services of the IRGC (Revolutionary Guards), including dual citizens who were trying to leave the country,” the statement read.
The unrest sparked the September 16 death in detention of Mahsa Amini, a 22-year-old Kurdish Iranian who was arrested for dressing “inappropriately” under Iran’s strict Islamic dress code for women.
The protests, in which demonstrators from all walks of life have called for the downfall of Iran’s ruling theocracy, are the biggest challenge to the Shiite Muslim-ruled Islamic Republic since the 1979 revolution.
The government has blamed the unrest on demonstrators bent on destroying public property and says they are trained and armed by enemies including the United States, Israel and Saudi Arabia.
Reported by Elwely Elwelly; Editing by Amelia Sithole-Metriz and Peter Graf
Our Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.
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