Pro-government rallies in Iran amid mass protests

(23 Sep 2022) RESTRICTION SUMMARY: NO ACCESS BBC PERSIAN/NO ACCESS VOA PERSIAN/NO ACCESS MANOTO TV/NO ACCESS IRAN INTERNATIONAL ++The Associated Press is adhering to Iranian law that stipulates all media are banned from providing BBC Persian, VOA Persian, Manoto TV and Iran International any coverage from Iran, and under this law if any media violate this ban the Iranian authorities can immediately shut down that organisation in Tehran.++ ASSOCIATED PRESS - NO ACCESS BBC PERSIAN/NO ACCESS VOA PERSIAN/NO ACCESS MANOTO TV/NO ACCESS IRAN INTERNATIONAL Tehran - 23 September 2022 1. Crowds holding demonstration after Tehran Friday prayers to condemn recent protests 2. Protesters chanting, UPSOUND (Farsi): "American mercenaries are fighting the religion" 3. Various of demonstrators 4. Protesters chanting UPSOUND (Farsi) "Death to America" 5. SOUNDBITE (Farsi) Mohammad Mirmohammadi, Tehran resident: "The people have once again taken part in this demonstration, like previous times. It's even bigger than before. This shows that the people support the ruling system and their supreme leader, and such small offenses and noises can't do any harm whatsoever to this system." 6. Female demonstrators chanting, UPSOUND (Farsi): "Death to America" 7. Various of demonstrators, female protesters 8. SOUNDBITE (Farsi) Fatemeh Balaee, Tehran resident: "The protesters and rioters that took to the streets are not ordinary people. They are trained groups that have entered our country to destroy the ruling system. Definitely we won't allow this to happen." 9. Wide of demonstration 10. Tilt-down from mural showing supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei and late leader Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini to protesters 11. Wide of demonstration STORYLINE: Iranian counter-protesters gathered across the country on Friday in a show of support for authorities after nearly a week of anti-government protests and unrest over the death of a young woman in police custody. Thousands of people attended a rally in the capital, Tehran, where they waved Iranian flags, and similar demonstrations were held in other cities. "The people support the ruling system and their supreme leader," said protester Mohammad Mirmohammadi, who took part in the Tehran rally. The government claimed the demonstrations of support were spontaneous. Similar rallies have been held during past periods of widespread protests. The pro-government demonstrators chanted against America and Israel, according to state media, reflecting the official line that foreign countries are fomenting the latest unrest. Anti-government protesters and security forces have clashed in several major cities in the most severe political unrest since 2019, when rights groups say hundreds were killed amid demonstrations against a hike in state-controlled gasoline prices. Iran has also disrupted internet access to the outside world, according to internet traffic monitor Netblocks, and tightened restrictions on popular platforms used to organize rallies like Instagram and WhatsApp. A tally by The Associated Press, based on statements from state-run and semiofficial media, shows that at least 11 people have been killed. The crisis unfolding in Iran began as a public outpouring of anger over the the death of Amini, a young woman who was arrested by the morality police in Tehran last week for allegedly wearing her Islamic headscarf too loosely. The police said she died of a heart attack and was not mistreated, but her family has cast doubt on that account. =========================================================== Clients are reminded: Find out more about AP Archive: http://www.aparchive.com/HowWeWork Twitter:   / ap_archive   Facebook:   / aparchives   ​​ Instagram:   / apnews   You can license this story through AP Archive: http://www.aparchive.com/metadata/you...