Italy summons Iranian ambassador because of 'violent repression' of protesters

​​​​​​​By Burak Bir

LONDON (AA) - The Italian foreign minister has summoned the Iranian envoy to denounce Tehran's "violent repression" of demonstrators in mass protests, media reports said Tuesday.

Antonio Tajani said he summoned Mohammad Reza Sabouri because the "extremely high price" in blood being paid by protesters was "absolutely unacceptable."

"The women and men of Iran are fighting in the streets, paying a very high price in blood, suffering, imprisonment, and likely torture," Tajani was quoted by the Italian news agency ANSA. "Dialogue does not mean passively accepting the spectacle of a regime violently repressing its own citizens."

Iran has been experiencing widespread anti-government protests since last month, driven by severe economic deterioration and a historic collapse of the national currency.

Government officials have accused the US and Israel of backing the "riots" and "terrorism."

There are no official casualty figures, but the Human Rights Activists News Agency (HRANA), a US-based rights group, estimates that the death toll has reached more than 2,000, including security forces and protesters, with over 1,000 injured.

HRANA also reported that at least 10,721 people have been detained in 585 locations nationwide, including 187 cities in all 31 provinces.