The Iranian regime under the Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei is under severe pressure after thousands of protesters including young women took to streets demanding the ouster of the religious leader after the country admitted to accidentally shooting down a Ukraine International Airlines aircraft carrying 176 people, mostly Iranians.
"The Islamic Republic of Iran deeply regrets this disastrous mistake," President Hassan Rouhani said on Saturday after admitting that Iranian Guards shot a surface-to-air missile that brought down the Boeing 737 operated by UIA.
The Ukraine International Airlines flight PS752 was bound for Kyiv, Ukraine with had a stopover in Toronto, Canada but it crashed minutes after takeoff from the Imam Khomeini International Airport in Tehran on Wednesday morning.
It is understood that the soldiers of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps mistook the passenger plane for an enemy aircraft and fired a surface-to-air missile hours after Iran launched attacks on US forces in Iraq in retaliation for the US assassination of top Iranian commander Qassem Soleimani.
Protests in Tehran
The admission by Iran has sparked massive protests across Tehran, where protesters including women have come out on streets demanding the ouster of Supreme leader Khamenei.
Several videos shared on Twitter show protesters at the University in Tehran chanting "We don't make concessions and won't praise Khamenei, after having our heroes killed "
Other videos show people shouting "Don't be afraid, don't be afraid, we are all in this together." While some chanted: "Death to the dictator, death to liars."
It is understood that multiple protests are being held in Tehran even in the middle of the night, where the protesters are marching in the streets chanting "I will kill those who killed my brother."
Young women in videos posted online can be seen chanting against the Supreme Leader on the streets of Iran "Khamenei shame on you, let go of our country."
There are reports of tear gas were fired upon angry protesters by the Iranian guards, to quell the protest.
