Iran: Khameini lauds Basij forces for restraining 'rioters', keeping 'Islamic Revolution' alive

Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, the supreme leader of Iran, on Saturday praised theBasij militia members and said they had given their lives during the wave of protests that had been prompted by the death in prison of a young Iranian Kurdish lady in September.

The protests that started after Mahsa Amini, 22, died on September 16 while being held by Iran's morality police have evolved into one of the most audacious challenges to the clerical hierarchy since the Islamic Revolution of 1979.

Protesters from all walks of life have torched images of Khamenei and demanded the overthrow of the Islamic Republic, challenging the legitimacy of the government.

In recent weeks, the state's response to the protests has been led by the Basij forces, which are a part of the nation's elite Revolutionary Guards.

In a televised speech, Khamenei said, "They have sacrificed their lives to protect people from rioters ... the presence of Basij shows that the Islamic Revolution is alive."

The clerical elite in Iran attributesthe upheaval to the nation's foreign adversaries, primarily the United States and its agents.

According to the activist news organisation HRANA, 448 demonstrators have died as of Friday, including 63 youngsters. According to the report, 57 members of the security forces were also murdered, and 18,170 individuals were reportedly detained.

The number of demonstrators slain has not been disclosed by the authorities, although a top official on Thursday claimed 50 police officers had died in the disturbance.

(With inputs from agencies)