The White House denounced on Sunday “the lethal force and severe communications restrictions” that the Iranian regime has used against the demonstrators.
In a statement, the White House voiced the US support to “the peaceful protests against the regime that is supposed to lead them.”
“Tehran has fanatically pursued nuclear weapons and missile programs, and supported terrorism, turning a proud nation into another cautionary tale of what happens when a ruling class abandons its people and embarks on a crusade for personal power and riches,” the statement read.
In a separate statement, the US Department of State also affirmed its stance with the protesters in Iran.
“We stand by the people of Iran as they demand accountability and transparency from their government. Iran did not use the billions of dollars in JCPOA sanctions relief to build schools or hospitals, but to fund terrorist proxies throughout the Middle East,” Morgan Ortagus, the spokesperson for the Department of State said on Sunday.
Since Friday, large-scaled protests erupted in dozens of cities in Iran against the government decree of hiking the prices of petrol by 50%. Demonstrators blocked traffic in major cities and the police responded with live fires and tear gas.
At least ten people were killed since the protests began, while dozens were arrested.
Meanwhile, Iranian parliamentarian Mohammad Qasim Othmani has resigned protesting the hiking of petrol prices, according to Iranian news agency “IRNA”.
On the other hand, Iranian President Hassan Rouhani defended the controversial petrol price hike. A project which the government says will finance social welfare spending amid a sharp economic downturn.
