Iran calls on foreign visitors to 'respect our laws' amid Mahsa Amini protests

Foreign visitors to Iran should respect the Islamic Republic's laws, its foreign ministry spokesman said on Monday, as protests continue over Mahsa Amini's death in police custody that Tehran has blamed on "foreign enemies".

Last month, Iran said it had arrested nine European nationals for their role in the unrest over 22-year-old Amini's death.

"Iran is a safe country… We expect foreigners who visit Iran for tourism and business… purposes to respect our laws," foreign ministry spokesman Nasser Kaanani told a televised news conference.

Amini, whose Kurdish name can be spelled "Zhina" or "Jina", died in police custody on 16 September.

She was arrested in Tehran by the morality police on 13 September for allegedly not wearing her hijab 'correctly'.

Amini went into a coma in detention and died at a hospital in the Iranian capital.

The authorities, who are accused of beating her, maintain she died from natural causes.

Anti-government demonstrations that erupted on 17 September in Amini's hometown of Saqez, have turned into the biggest challenge to Iran's clerical leaders in years, with many calling for the downfall of Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei.

The nationwide protests have received wide international support, prompting Tehran to lash out at its critics by accusing the United States and Israel of exploiting the unrest to try to destabilise the Islamic Republic.

(Reuters, The New Arab)