Only days after large crowds of Iranians demonstrated national unity while mourning the assassination of the country's top military leader in a U.S. drone strike, anti-government protests have erupted on the streets of Tehran and several other cities.

The protesters are angry over the establishment's mishandling of the deadly downing of a Ukrainian passenger jet on January 8 by the Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps (IRGC) in what is seen as a display of incompetency and recklessness by the country's leaders.

Thousands of protesters, including many students, chanted against the clerical establishment over the weekend and into January 13, with many calling for the resignation of the country's top authority, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei.

"Clerics get lost" was one refrain heard at the protests. Others called Qasem Soleimani, the IRGC commander killed in the U.S. strike and widely praised as a national hero by the state, "a murderer."

It was Iran's delayed admission of guilt for the plane's downing -- three days after the tragedy -- and what was seen by many as an attempt to cover up the real cause of the crash that has aroused public fury and a revival of the grievances that resulted in waves of anti-establishment protests in past months, including in November, when hundreds were killed in a violent state crackdown on rallies against large increases in gas prices.

In the past two days there have been photos and video from the protests showing wounded people being carried away and blood on the ground. In some videos, gunshots can be heard and tear gas is being fired, although the police have denied shooting at protesters.

U.S. President Donald Trump tweeted to Iranian leaders: "Don't kill your protesters."

The demonstrators in Tehran and cities including Isfahan, Shiraz, and Babol were also upset by what they see as a cover-up, including Iran's lack of cooperation with Ukrainian investigators and the bulldozing of the disaster site, which led to international ridicule.

The protests come amid a faltering economy due to crippling U.S. economic sanctions that have contributed to the fall of the national currency, the rial.

"We're seeing society bursting [in anger], particularly students, against lies and the humiliation of the nation," Paris-based Iranian analyst Reza Alijani told RFE/RL.

Mostafa Tajzadeh, an acting interior minister under reformist former President Mohammad Khatami, suggested he was also shocked over the level of deceit by the government. "I must admit I couldn't believe all the lies, secrecy, and deceit in the Islamic republic. Why and how did we reach this point?" he said on Twitter.

Speaking on January 13, government spokesman Ali Rabiei denied that the state concealed facts and misled the public, while acknowledging the public had lost trust in it.  He noted the plane was downed just a few hours after Iran had fired more than a dozen ballistic missiles at two U.S. bases in retaliation for Soleimani's killing, and suggested the high tension between Washington and Tehran played a role.

"All armed forces were on high alert and this was the reason for the tragic mistake and the accident," Rabiei was quoted as saying by state media.

More at: https://www.rferl.org/a/anger-grows-in-iran-over-lack-of-accountability-in-ukrainian-plane-tragedy/30375053.html?ltflags=mailer

Pray for the Iranian people whose lives are affected both by the policies of their government and the effect of the harsh international sanctions.

Pray that Iran will adhere to the requests by the world community for it to stop funding terrorism and to adhere to the nuclear agreement and stop processing enriched weapons grade uranium.

Outrage trailed the murder of the Chairman of the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN) in Michika Local Government Area of Adamawa State, Rev. Lawan Andimi after Boko Haram insurgents who kidnapped him rejected a N50 million ransom.

The state CAN chairman, Bishop Dami Mamza, who broke the sad news to some journalists in Yola, said that the insurgents had demanded two million euros (about N50 million) and still went ahead to kill the innocent cleric.

Bishop Mamza, who said that the killing was communicated to them through their contact, added that another pastor was abducted and killed almost at the same time with the kidnapped and murdered cleric from Michika.

Mamza said that Boko Haram had not been defeated or suppressed, asking the government to tell Nigerians the truth.

“Negotiations were still ongoing when they stopped calling. They were offered N50 million but they rejected it. They called his wife last week, informing her that they would be beheading him (Andimi) on Saturday, but somehow, they waited till Monday.”

The state CAN chairman lamented the constant attacks on Christians in the country, citing the killing of Pastor Dennis Bagauri of the Lutheran Church in Mayo-Belwa area by suspected kidnappers on Sunday.

President Muhammadu Buhari condemned the killing of Andimi, describing it as cruel, inhuman and deliberately provocative.  In his reaction to the incident, President Buhari expressed sorrow that the terrorists went on to kill the religious leader while giving signals at the same time of a willingness to set him free by releasing him to third parties.

Buhari consoled with the Christian community all over Nigeria, the government and people of Adamawa State and the bishop’s family over the sad loss of the cleric. He promised that terrorists would continue to pay a heavy price for their actions and would comprehensively be defeated by the armed forces.

The president urged nations of the world to end all support provided to Boko Haram and Islam in West Africa (ISWA) terrorist groups whose only goal is to sow death, violence, and destruction in the sub-region.

Andimi, who was declared missing on January 2, 2020, had in a video published on January 5, confirmed that he was in the custody of Boko Haram. He had pleaded with the Adamawa State Government and the CAN leadership to come to his rescue, adding that his captors did not maltreat him, as they were taking good care of him. The cleric, who spoke in Hausa and English intermittently, urged his family not to be afraid, adding that he would return home safely if it was the will of God.

He said: “I have never been discouraged because everything is in the hands of God. God who made them to take care of me and leave me alive will touch them. So, I am appealing to fellow reverends particularly my President, Rev. Joel Billy, who is a strong man of love that he will do his best to speak with our governor and other necessary agents for my release.

The national CAN expressed sadness over the murder of Andimi.

In a statement, yesterday in Abuja, the Director, Legal and Public Affairs of CAN, Evangelist Kwamkur Samuel Vondip, said the church viewed the unabated kidnappings, extortions and killings of Christians and other innocent Nigerians as shameful to the government that each time boasts that it has conquered insurgency.

He questioned why the Buhari-led government has not overhauled the security architecture with a view to injecting new ideas into the security system since the agencies are not living up to the expectations of the government.

Vondip observed that the church is almost losing hope in the government’s ability to protect Nigerians, especially Christians who have become endangered species on its watch. He called on the international community, particularly the United States, U.K., Germany, and Israel, to come to the aid of Nigeria, especially, the church so that they might not be eliminated one by one.

More at: https://guardian.ng/news/boko-haram-rejects-n50m-ransom-kills-can-chairman/

Pray for the family of Rev. Lawan Andimi and all those who are sensing the loss of this man of God.

Pray that his martyrdom will not be in vain.

Pray that the perpetrators will be brought to justice.
Pray that the Nigerian Government will redouble its efforts to improve security for the Christian church and to rid the affected Northern regions of the terrorist threat.