Shawdesh desk:

Iran’s police command warned on Wednesday that the force would come down hard on protests that erupted nearly two weeks ago over the death of a young woman in custody.

Dozens of people have been killed since nightly demonstrations erupted after Mahsa Amini, a 22-year-old Kurdish woman, died after being arrested in Tehran for allegedly breaching the Islamic republic’s strict rules on hijab headscarves and modest clothing.

‘Today, the enemies of the Islamic Republic of Iran and some rioters seek to disrupt the order, security and comfort of the nation using any pretext,’ the police command said in a statement.

‘Police officers will oppose with all their might the conspiracies of counter-revolutionaries and hostile elements, and deal firmly with those who disrupt public order and security anywhere in the country,’ it said, quoted by Fars news agency.

Fars news agency said on Tuesday that ‘around 60’ people had been killed since Amini’s death on September 16, up from the official toll of 41 authorities reported on Saturday. Officials said Monday they had made more than 1,200 arrests, including of activists, lawyers and journalists.