Riots in East Tehran

In an extensive riot in East Tehran in the afternoon of Sunday August 17, between the people and the State Security Forces, several government buildings were badly damaged, reports from Tehran say. At least two persons were killed, 25 wounded and a large number arrested, according to reports received so far.

Mr. Massoud Rajavi, President of the National Council of Resistance of Iran, hailed the deprived people of East Tehran and called on the residents of other parts of the capital to rush to their aid.

The riots erupted when the agents of Tehran's 15th district municipality, supported by the Revolutionary Guards Corps, raided Massoudieh township on Khavaran Avenue and razed the newly built houses. Four persons remained under the rubbles and were seriously injured.

A large number of people rushed to the scene and staged a protest. They marched to the municipality of zone 6 in the 15th district. The municipal building was badly damaged in clashes between the people and the Guards, and dozens of vehicles belonging to the government and the State Security Forces were destroyed. At least seven members of the state security forces and the Guards Corps were also wounded in these clashes.

The regime dispatched reinforcement from various regions of Tehran to curb the spread of protests. Guards Corps Brigadier General Botshekan, commander of the State Security Forces of East Tehran, commanded the regime's forces at the scene.

The clashes in the region continued until late hours in the night.

Secretariat of the National Council of Resistance of Iran - Paris
August 19, 1997

Back Home