Former Iranian Police Chief Defends Crackdown on 2022 Protests

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A former chief of Iran’s police defended the Islamic Republic’s violent response to the nationwide protests that began in September 2022, claiming that his forces acted with “prudence,” Iran International reported on October 7. “Our goal was to prevent social protests from escalating into security crises, and even if they did, to return them to the social realm through wisdom and sound management,” said Hossein Ashtari, who led the police from 2015 to 2023 and previously served as a general in the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps. The 2022 demonstrations, which became known as the “Women, Life, Freedom” movement, erupted after the regime’s murder of 22-year-old Mahsa Amini for allegedly wearing her hijab, or headscarf, improperly.

Ashtari claimed that the protests would have unfolded even if Amini had not died, blaming unspecified adversaries of Iran for fueling the demonstrations. “The supreme leader emphasized that even if [the death of Amini] had not occurred, enemies would have found another excuse for unrest, and FARAJA was recognized as ‘the oppressed yet powerful’ in these events,” Ashtari said. (FARAJA is the Persian acronym for the Law Enforcement Command of the Islamic Republic of Iran, the formal name for the police.) “FARAJA acted with prudence and showed its strength to those seeking to create chaos, while supporting ordinary citizens in their daily lives,” Ashtari added.

Ashtari’s statement comes amid an ongoing regime crackdown. Iran has executed at least 478 people during 2024, including several political prisoners, prompting weekly hunger strikes in at least 21 prisons across Iran since January. Meanwhile, the regime continues to enforce mandatory hijab laws throughout the country. This repression has not stopped Iranians from continuing to protest the Islamic Republic. More than 1,800 demonstrations have occurred this year, including some 200 in September alone, according to FDD’s Iran protest tracker.

Expert Analysis

“There are two basic facts: The people of Iran hate the regime, and the regime is responsible for brutalizing the people. And that’s why the regime will ultimately fall one day.” — Richard Goldberg, FDD Senior Advisor

“The best way to punish human rights violators in Iran is to cut off the regime’s funding, which fuels its oppressive machinery. Unfortunately, the Biden-Harris administration and other Western governments have been doing the exact opposite.” — Saeed Ghasseminejad, FDD Senior Iran and Financial Economics Advisor

“The Islamic Republic not only represses the Iranian people but also takes pride in its cruelty. Hossein Ashtari managed to remain in his job as police chief for eight years with Tehran’s support precisely due to his violent record. As Israel prepares a counterattack to Tehran’s recent ballistic missile assault, the United States must impose maximum pressure on the regime while advancing maximum support for the Iranian people.” — Tzvi Kahn, FDD Research Fellow and Senior Editor

Related Analysis

“Mapping Protests in Iran,” by Mark Dubowitz

“Wave of Executions Continues in Iran,” FDD Flash Brief

“26 Human Rights Groups Denounce Iran’s Death Sentence Against Prominent Activist,” FDD Flash Brief

“Iran’s Noor Plan Intensifies Crackdown on Women,” FDD Flash Brief