An Iranian lawmaker publicly announced Thursday that the hardline Islamic regime has detained over 3,700 protesters and demonstrators –many of them students- in an attempt to quash the nationwide riots that stunned leaders in Tehran, reports Fox News.
The demonstrations, mostly due to stagnant wages and low employment opportunities for Iranian youth, have rocked the country for nearly two weeks. The protests are the largest seen in Iran since 2009’s “Twitter Revolution” or “Green Movement.”
At least 21 people have been killed in the chaos.
While Iranian authorities insist the demonstrations are coming to an end, the protests continue in towns and cities across the Islamic Republic.
President Trump and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu expressed their support towards the demonstrators, saying Iran was “finally” fighting for freedom against the oppressive regime.
“The people of Iran are finally acting against the brutal and corrupt Iranian regime,” Trump tweeted. “All of the money that President Obama so foolishly gave them went into terrorism and into their ‘pockets.’ The people have little food, big inflation and no human rights. The U.S. is watching!”