Iran arrests 14 foreigners, including US citizens, over protests: Report
Iranian security forces have arrested 14 foreigners, including US, British and French citizens, for their involvement in anti-government protests, the semi-official Fars news agency said on Wednesday.
"Citizens of 14 countries, including the United States, Russia, Austria, France, the United Kingdom, and Afghanistan, have been arrested in recent riots in Iran, of which Afghan nationals are the most numerous," Fars reported, without citing a source.
Fars, which is affiliated with Iran's Revolutionary Guards, did not say when and where the arrests were made.
It was not immediately clear whether the reported arrests included nine foreigners who Tehran said last month had been detained for their role in the protests.
Iranian officials have yet to comment on Wednesday's report.
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France's foreign minister said on 11 October that five of its nationals were being held in Iran over the protests.
Iran’s crackdown on demonstrators protesting over the death of 22-year-old Mahsa Amini, following her arrest for wearing an "inappropriate" hijab last month, has left scores of people dead, with Tehran linking the unrest to foreign foes.
Amini was arrested on 13 September by the morality police in Tehran for allegedly violating Iran's strict dress code for women and died while in custody.
The nationwide protests have turned into one of the boldest challenges to Iran's clerical rulers since the 1979 revolution.
Tehran has accused the US and some European countries of using the unrest to try to destabilise the country.
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