Statement No. 11 - URGENT
Violent clashes in central Tehran between 10,000 students and Revolutionary Guards
Guards attack demonstrators on direct orders from Supreme National Security Council

At about 2 pm today (local time) 10,000 students, among them many who came to Tehran from provincial cities to express solidarity with Tehran University students, gathered in Vali-Asr Square in central Tehran and began chanting slogans against the ruling mullahs. The students condemned the security forces' brutal attack on Tehran University's hostels complex and demanded the immediate release of all detained students, while chanting "free all political prisoners."

After the demonstration began, the clerical regime's State Security Forces received direct authorization from the Supreme National Security Council under Khatami's chairmanship to attack the protesters. The SNSC had issues a communique last night warning students that all "unauthorized" demonstrations would henceforth be dealt with severely.

The SSF units attacked the students with tear gas and beat them with truncheons. When the students resisted and continued chanting, the Revolutionary Guards opened fire with assault rifles. Two SSF helicopters hovered overhead and directed the regime's repressive forces. The security forces fired so much tear gas that a thick cloud brought visibility down.

Clashes between students and SSF agents spread over a long distance, with the students continuing their march along Keshavarz Boulevard and Laleh Park towards Fatemi Avenue. The students set on fire a Revolutionary Guards vehicle and pelted the SSF agents with stones. They chanted "Guns, tanks and machine-guns are no longer effective" and other slogans against Khamenei and Khatami.

As this statement was being released, the clashes continued in central Tehran.

Secretariat of the National Council of Resistance of Iran
July 12, 1999

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