Public reactions have emerged in various cities, including the Iranian capital Tehran, after the announcement of a two-week ceasefire between the US and Iran. In Tehran, people took to the streets carrying pictures of Iran’s Supreme Leader Mojtaba Khamenei and national flags, while pro-government demonstrations were held near power plants and bridges in different parts of the country.
According to BBC Persian’s Washington correspondent Khashyar Junaidi, the reaction to the ceasefire in Iran has been mixed. On the one hand, citizens are relieved that the threat of possible US attacks on power plants and important installations has been averted for now, while on the other hand, critics of the government fear that the ceasefire could lead to an increase in internal crackdowns.
Iranian state media has released videos showing dozens of people forming ‘human chains’ near various power plants and bridges. BBC Verified has confirmed the videos, which include the Kazerun Power Plant (Fars Province), Shahid Rajaee Power Plant (Qazvin Province) and the bridges in Dezful and Ahvaz (Khuzestan Province).
The demonstrations are apparently a show of support and resistance to the government in response to US threats. Iranian authorities have previously encouraged citizens to form human chains around key facilities to protect them from potential attacks.
Iran’s Deputy Minister of Youth and Sports Alireza Rahimi said the campaign was being held across the country under the name of “Iranian Youth Human Chain for a Bright Future”.
Videos released by the state-run Fars news agency show large numbers of people forming a human chain in front of the Kazerun combined cycle power plant.
An Iranian government Telegram account claimed that the protesters condemned “US-Israeli aggression” and declared their support for the country’s armed forces.
The statement said that any attack on infrastructure would be considered a “war crime.”
In a separate statement, Iranian President Masoud Peshmerga said that 14 million Iranians had registered to “sacrifice their lives in defense of the country,” and more could join by texting a specific number.
On the other hand, US President Donald Trump criticized reports of human shields being created around key installations, calling them “completely illegal.”
Following the ceasefire announcement, talks between Iran and the US will begin in Islamabad on Friday, where a 10-point agenda presented by Iran will be discussed.
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