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Transcript/ScriptIran Protests West Response (TV)
HEADLINE: As Iranian Protestors Demand Regime’s Downfall, How Should the West Respond?
TEASER: Critics call for an end to nuclear deal negotiations with Tehran
PUBLISHED AT: 10/13/2022 at 1:25pm
BYLINE: Henry Ridgwell
CONTRIBUTOR:
DATELINE: London
VIDEOGRAPHER: Henry Ridgwell
VIDEO EDITOR:
SCRIPT EDITORS: MAS, sv
VIDEO SOURCE (S): VOA, APTN, Reuters, AFP
PLATFORMS (mark with X): WEB _X_ TV _X_ RADIO __
TRT: 2:43
VID APPROVED BY: MAS
TYPE: VPKGN
EDITOR NOTES:))
((INTRO)) [[Anti-government protests are continuing across Iran following the death of 22-year-old Mahsa Amini in police custody last month. She had been arrested by Iran’s morality police for ‘unsuitable attire’. Where might the protests lead – and how should the West respond? Henry Ridgwell reports from London.]]
((NARRATOR))
At Tehran university, students gathered to spell out the word ‘blood’ in Farsi - demanding the fall of the Islamic regime. For four weeks, protests – many led by women - have gripped cities across Iran.
((Ali Vaez, Iran Analyst at International Crisis Group (in English) ))
“It's really impressive that for them the wall of fear has been completely destroyed and they have increasingly nothing to lose and therefore they are willing to persist.”
Past protests – such as the 2009 green movement - failed to bring down the government.
But resentment now transcends political divides - amid economic crisis and domestic repression, says analyst Behnam Taleblu.
((Behnam Ben Taleblu, Foundation for Defense of Democracies))
“Rather than being advocating for one element of the regime, this is the population saying they're done with the regime in its entirety.”
Dozens of protestors have been killed. The regime still has scope to crush the demonstrations, says Vaez.
((Ali Vaez, Iran Analyst at International Crisis Group (in English) ))
“It has not yet deployed the Revolutionary Guards. And so it still has a lot of repressive tools up its sleeve that it can use against the movement.”
Britain last week followed the United States and Canada in imposing sanctions on senior figures in Iran’s morality police.
((Behnam Ben Taleblu, Foundation for Defense of Democracies))
“That needs to be expanded across the European Union.”
In Europe, female lawmakers and celebrities have cut their hair in solidarity with Iranian women. There have been protests in several cities.
((Protestor (no name given – female, in English) ))
“We are here to be the voice of the people in Iran. And we are here to demand for the British government to speak up.”
The demonstrations come as the U.S. and European powers negotiate with Tehran over a possible return to the 2015 nuclear deal.
French President Emmanuel Macron Wednesday condemned Iran’s crackdown - but said France was fighting to prevent nuclear proliferation.
The nuclear talks have failed - and should be abandoned, argues analyst Taleblu.
((Behnam Ben Taleblu, Foundation for Defense of Democracies))
“That money, that deal, would enrich the regime's security apparatus. And that security apparatus is the same apparatus engaging in foreign aggression and in the domestic repression we've been seeing now for about four weeks.”
Taleblu said the West could take practical steps to help the protestors – including the provision of satellite internet to circumvent government restrictions.
Henry Ridgwell, for VOA News, London.
NewsML Media TopicsArts, Culture, Entertainment and Media
NetworkVOA
Location (dateline)
London
Embargo DateOctober 13, 2022 16:38 EDT
Byline
Henry Ridgwell, for VOA News, London.
Brand / Language ServiceVoice of America - English
