Member of Iran’s Expediency Council: Shutting down internet no solution

Seyyed Mohammad Sadr also said the death of 22-year-old Iranian girl Mahsa Amini ignited the anger of people, especially the youth and women, which had been accumulated and led to the recent unrest and riots.

Sadr added that the establishment’s strategy must be “smiling at people” and that a “security vision” insinuates that the system must not take a step back. He noted that such an approach will cause the youth to feel humiliated.

The member of Iran’s Expediency Council stressed that strong-arm tactics like shutting down the internet are no solution.

According to Sadr, the government needs to prepare the ground for peaceful gatherings by protesters.

He said “these gentlemen get tough (on people) to create security for the country or the establishment while this security-based vision is counterproductive in itself.”

Sadr’s comments come as Iran has seen protests in various cities countrywide following the death of Ms. Amini in police custody in Tehran.

The girl’s family says she must have died of brain hemorrhage due to beating at the hands of morality cops. But authorities deny this and say she died of a heart attack and that she already had a history of medical issues.