Iranian security forces have arrested at least 14 foreigners during anti-government protests sparked by the death of a Kurdish-Iranian woman while in custody of the morality police for wearing her hijab improperly.
The foreigners include citizens of the United States, Afghanistan, Austria, France, Russia and the United Kingdom, according to the semi-official Fars news agency, which is affiliated with the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps. Iran reported last month that nine foreign nationals had been arrested during the protests; it is not clear if those arrested protesters are among the 14 now being reported.
The protests erupted after the death of Mahsa Amini on September 16. At least 233 people have been killed and thousands arrested since the start of the protests. Iran’s Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei said that the protests “were planned by America, the Zionist regime and their acolytes.
Their main problem is with a strong and independent Iran and the country’s progress.” Iranian officials have in recent days blamed the United States, the European Union, and several Western states for meddling in Iran’s internal affairs over the death of Amini.