Iran's President Raisi says 'everyone will be heard' amid raging anti-regime protests

Amid the raging protests against the authoritarian regime of the Islamic Republic of Iran, the country's President Ebrahim Raisi said on Wednesday that protestors will be heard by the administration. President Raisi's remarks came at a function at Tehran University to mark the annual Students Day, reported AA.  

He stated that the Iranian government recognizes the importance of dialogue with university students and stressed that the administration is ready to hear everyone's views including the "opposite" ones amid the protests that have gripped the nation since September this year.  

The development carries significance as Iranian authorities seemingly bend the knee to meet the demand of demonstrators who have been protesting against the brutal conduct of authorities in enforcing laws pertaining to women's attire. The protests were sparked by the death of Mahsa Amini, a 22-year-old woman of Iranian-Kurdish descent in the custody of Iran's infamous morality police. Since the onset of the demonstrations, public universities in the country have emerged as bastions of anti-regime protests. 

Regime changes tactics to quelch protests

Since the beginning of the protests, Iranian authorities indulged in a violent crackdown on the protesters which saw the regime deploying the country's military against civilians including special forces soldiers. The regime has been accused of disappearances and targeted attacks against individuals it believes are participants or flag-bearers of protests. Furthermore, hundreds of students in Tehran and other major cities of the nation were arrested over participation in the protests. Meanwhile, judiciary officials have stated that most of them have been released, AA reported.  

Meanwhile, the regime's action against Iranian civilians invited travel bans and sanctions on important government officials from nations like the UK, US, Canada, and Germany. However, following global condemnation, Tehran seemingly changed tactics in attempts to terminate the protests. These included the announcement by Iranian authorities to disband the morality police and amend the hijab laws of the nation.  

Furthermore, in his latest address regarding the protests, President Ebrahim Raisi called students "the future builders of the country" and said they should be heard as the regime welcomes the process of dialogue.  

"I consider communication between the government and universities necessary, and I truly believe that a university, as the think-tank of the government, can help the government in solving the country's problems," Raisi stressed in his address, reported AA.

Many Iranian lawmakers have indulged in interacting with university students in recent weeks in attempts to calm the protests. Meanwhile, as per reports, the European Union is considering more human rights-related sanctions on Iran. The country has already been slapped with a slew of sanctions by the EU.