Iranian President Hassan Rouhani on Sunday called for calm as riots continued against rising prices, economic inequality and unemployment, according to a report in the New York Times.
“We are a free nation, and based on the Constitution and citizenship rights, people are completely free to express their criticism and even their protest,” Rouhani said, according to the state-run PressTV.
Demonstrations started Thursday in the second-largest city of Masshad. By Friday, rallies spread to Tehran and other major cities.
At least 50 people were arrested in Masshad, and two protestors were killed at a rally Saturday night in a provincial town. The protests were the most serious in Iran since 2009 following the disputed re-election of then-President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad.
Rouhani, according to the Times, also told people to not resort to violence after some crowds reportedly attacked some state buildings and confronted police.
Trump tweeted Saturday that Iran's leaders fear their own people. He said, "Oppressive regimes cannot endure forever, and the day will come when the Iranian people will face a choice." He added: "The world is watching!"
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