US calls on Iran to respect women's freedoms amid mass protests

By Michael Hernandez

WASHINGTON (AA) - The US urged the Iranian government to respect women's freedoms Tuesday amid days of ongoing mass protests.

The demonstrations were triggered by the Sept. 16 death of Mahsa Amini, who died after being taken into police custody for alleged violations of Iran's mandated Islamic dress code.

Secretary of State Antony Blinken said "the only reason" Amini is no longer alive "is because a brutal regime took her life, and took her life because of decisions she should be making about what she should wear or not wear."

"Women in Iran have the right to wear what they want. They have the right to be free from violence. They have the right to be free from harassment. That's true in Iran. That should be true everywhere," he told reporters during a press conference with Indian top diplomat Subrahmanyam Jaishankar.

"Iran needs to end its use of violence against women for exercising what should be a fundamental freedom, and as a general proposition, and in this specific instance we stand with all of those who are exercising the universal right to peaceful protest," he added.

Iranian officials have attempted to cast Amini's death as the result of a heart attack she suffered while in the custody of the country's Morality Police but that explanation has fallen flat with protesters and Amini's family.

At least 41 people have been killed in the protests, which have in recent days taken a violent turn, especially in Tehran.

The UN Human Rights Office said it is "extremely concerned" by comments by some Iranian leaders vilifying protesters, and by the apparent unnecessary and disproportionate use of force against demonstrators.

It said in the province of Gilan alone, official data indicates 739 individuals had been arrested, including 60 women, during three days of protests.