Tehran Denounces Protests By Afghans Against Iranian Government

Afghans rally in front of the Iranian embassy in London against to protest violence against Afghan immigrants in Iran. June 14, 2020.

Speaking to reporters on Monday, Iran Foreign Ministry Spokesman said Iran sees propaganda against the Iranian government as unacceptable and cannot close its eyes to anti-Iranian protests by Afghans.

Referring to recent Afghan anti-Iranian protest in front of the Iranian embassy in London and Kabul, Seyed Abbas Mousavi said the protests were meant to "destroy the relations of the two countries" and added: "Such actions and insults will not be tolerated".

On Sunday hundreds of Afghans rallied in front of the Iranian embassy in London to protest what they called the "maltreatment of Afghan migrants by the Iranian police and government". Similar but smaller rallies were held in front of Iranian embassies in other European capitals and in the United States.

Afghans protesting in front of the Iranian embassy in London on June 14.

The protesters demanded justice for tens of Afghans allegedly killed by Iranian police and law enforcement forces since May 2.

On June 5, thiree illegal Afghan migrants burned to death in Iran's Yazd Province in a vehicle after the car which had been shot at by the Iranian police caught fire during escape.

Also on May 2 around fifty Afghan nationals trying to cross a river to enter Iran were allegedly drowned by the Iranian border guards who forced them back into the river. The Iranian Police has denied any responsibility for the incident.

On June 7, protesters sprayed paint on the gate and the plaque of the Iranian embassy in Kabul and threw stones at the embassy.

SEE ALSO: Afghan Officials: Iran Police Shot Migrants’ Vehicle, Killing Three People

On June 13 Iran summoned the Afghan ambassador in Tehran over what it called "recent offensive moves against the Iranian diplomatic missions in Afghanistan".

A statement released by the Iranian Foreign Ministry on Saturday said the protests were held "under the pretext that a number of Afghan nationals who had plans for illegal entry into Iran or had entered Iran illegally with the help of traffickers have died".