DUBAI,
United Arab Emirates (AP) — Iran’s security forces deployed in large
numbers across the capital on Sunday, expecting more protests after its
Revolutionary Guard admitted to accidentally shooting down a passenger
plane at a time of soaring tensions with the United States.
Riot
police in black uniforms and helmets massed in Vali-e Asr Square,
Tehran University and other landmarks as calls circulated for protests
later in the day. Revolutionary Guard members patrolled the city on
motorbikes and plainclothes security men were also out in force. People
looked down as they walked briskly past the police, hoping not to draw
attention to themselves.
The
plane crash early Wednesday killed all 176 people on board, mostly
Iranians and Iranian-Canadians. After initially pointing to a technical
failure and insisting the armed forces were not to blame, authorities on
Saturday finally admitted to accidentally shooting it down in the face of mounting evidence and accusations by Western leaders.
Iran
downed the Ukrainian flight as it braced for retaliation after firing
ballistic missiles at two bases in Iraq housing U.S. forces. The
ballistic missile attack, which caused no casualties, was a response to
the killing of Gen. Qassem Soleimani, Iran’s top general, in a U.S.
airstrike in Baghdad.
Iranians
have expressed anger over the downing of the plane and the misleading
explanations from senior officials in the wake of the tragedy. They are
also mourning the dead, among whom were a large number of young people
with promising futures who were studying abroad.
“Even
talking about it makes my heart beat faster and makes me sad,” said
Zahra Razeghi, a Tehran resident. “I feel ashamed when I think about
their families.”
“The
denial and covering up the truth over the past three days greatly added
to the suffering and pain of the families, and me,” she added.
Another
individual, who only identified himself as Saeed, said the largely
state-run media had concealed the cause of the crash for “political
reasons.”
“Later developments changed the game and they had to tell the truth,” he said.
Hundreds
of students gathered at Tehran’s Shahid Beheshti University on Sunday
to mourn the victims and protest against authorities for concealing the
cause of the crash, the semi-official ISNA news agency reported. They
later dispersed peacefully.
A
candlelight ceremony late Saturday in Tehran turned into a protest,
with hundreds of people chanting against the country’s leaders —
including Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei — and police dispersing
them with tear gas. Protests were also held in the city of Isfahan and
elsewhere.
Police
briefly detained the British ambassador to Iran, Rob Macaire, who said
he went with the intention of attending the vigil and did not know it
would turn into a protest.
“Can
confirm I wasn’t taking part in any demonstrations!” he tweeted. “Went
to an event advertised as a vigil for victims of #PS752 tragedy. Normal
to want to pay respects — some of victims were British. I left after 5
mins, when some started chanting.”
He said he was arrested 30 minutes after leaving the area.
Britain said its envoy was detained “without grounds or explanation” and in “flagrant violation of international law.”
“The
Iranian government is at a cross-roads moment. It can continue its
march towards pariah status with all the political and economic
isolation that entails, or take steps to deescalate tensions and engage
in a diplomatic path forwards,” Foreign Secretary Dominic Raab said in a
statement.
Iran’s
Deputy Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi later tweeted that Macaire was
arrested “as an unknown foreigner in an illegal gathering.”
Araghchi
said when police informed him that a man was arrested who claimed to be
the British ambassador he didn’t believe them. But he said that once he
spoke to Macaire by phone he realized it was him, and that the
ambassador was freed 15 minutes later.
Alaeddin
Boroujerdi, a member of Iran’s parliamentary committee on national
security and foreign policy, nevertheless accused the ambassador of
organizing protests and called for his expulsion.
Dozens
of hard-liners later gathered outside the British Embassy, chanting
“Death to England” and calling for the ambassador to be expelled and for
the closure of the embassy. Police stood guard outside the facility.
Iranian
media meanwhile focused on the admission of responsibility for the
crash, with several newspapers calling for those responsible to
apologize and resign.
The
hardline daily Vatan-e Emrouz bore the front-page headline, “A sky full
of sadness,” while the Hamshahri daily went with “Shame,” and the IRAN
daily said “Unforgivable.”
Mehdi Karroubi, an opposition activist under house arrest, lashed out at Khamenei himself.
“You,
as the commander in chief of the armed forces, are directly responsible
for this,” he said in a statement. “If you were aware and you let
military and security authorities deceive people, then there is no doubt
you lack the attributes of constitutional leadership.”
Criticism of the supreme leader is punishable by up to two years in prison.
Tensions
with the United States eased after the ballistic missile attack, when
President Donald Trump declined to respond and welcomed Iran’s apparent
decision to stand down.
The
emir of Qatar, Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani, traveled to Iran for
talks with senior officials. Qatar hosts a large U.S. military base and
shares an offshore gas field with Iran. It has often served as a
mediator between the two countries, which have no diplomatic relations.
Syria’s
Prime Minister Imad Khamis was also leading a high-level delegation to
Iran, which includes the defense and foreign ministers. Syrian state
media described it as an “important visit” in light of recent events,
without elaborating. Iran is a key ally of Syrian President Bashar Assad
in his country’s civil war, and Soleimani had mobilized militias and
coordinated military aid.
Pakistan’s Foreign Minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi was also traveling to Iran, with plans to visit Saudi Arabia the following day.
