Raisi dismisses Biden ‘free Iran’ pledge after protest surge

PARIS: Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi on Friday dismissed a pledge from US leader Joe Biden to “free Iran” as the clerical regime faced a new upsurge in protests seven weeks into the anti-regime movement.

The protests began after the death of Mahsa Amini who had been arrested by the morality police. In their scale, nationwide spread, and anti-regime nature, the demonstrations have become the biggest challenge from the street to the authorities since the 1979 revolution.

Campaigning for mid-term elections in the US, Biden had said: “Don´t worry we´re gonna free Iran. They´re gonna free themselves pretty soon.” But Raisi responded by saying: “The great people of Iran will not bow their heads to you”.

“Our men and women -- our young men and young women are determined and we will never allow you to carry out your satanic desires,” he told a gathering commemorating the November 1979 takeover of the US embassy in Tehran by students. “The enemy is today targeting our solidarity and national unity, our security, our peace and our determination,” Raisi said.