Iran protests: Thousands take to the streets of Tehran as fresh revolt begins

Thousands of people gathered outside of a prison near the Iranian capital on Sunday night in a bid to stop the execution of two men found guilty of running over a police officer in a car during protests in November.

Alarms were raised after 22-year-old Mohammad Ghobadlou and fellow prisoner Mohammad Boroughani were taken to solitary confinement, which is often a preliminary step before execution.

Videos posted on social media show the mother of Mr Ghobadlou pleading for her son outside Rajaei-Shahr prison in Karaj.

She said it had been established that her son had not been at the scene when the police officer died.

The lawyers of the two men claim they require a retrial in the supreme court.

Following the protest movement after the death in custody of Mahsa Amini in September, a total of four people have been executed.

Iranian ambassadors in Europe are still being summoned over the execution of two men on Saturday as Iran decide whether to ignore the international condemnation.

The repression, which is seen by Iranian authorities as an appropriate response to injuries inflicted on security officers, is decreasing any chances of talks of a renewed nuclear deal – pushing part of the Iranian regime towards closer relations with Russia.

Canadian prime minister, Justin Trudeau, attended memorials in Toronto over the weekend for the 176 people killed on Ukraine International Airlines flight 752.

The plane was shot down by Iran’s Revolutionary Guards on 8 January 2020.

Protests across the world were held on Saturday following the execution of two men, Mohammad Mehdi Karami and Mohammad Hosseini.

The French foreign minister, Catherine Colonna, described the executions as “appalling”, adding that France reiterated its opposition to the death penalty.

The Canadian foreign minister, Mélanie Joly, also denounced the executions, saying: “Two more lives lost to senseless executions from the Iranian regime.”

She called on Iran to put an end to such brutal and inhumane sentences and expressed solidarity with Iranians.

Nasrin Sotoudeh, a lawyer and human rights activist in Iran, said due process had not been allowed, turning the executions into “open murder”.