Even those who marched alongside the rioters are our children. We ask for mercy and forgiveness for them.

Axar.az reports that, according to Mehr News Agency, the Supreme Leader of the Islamic Revolution, speaking this morning to the people from Tabriz and East Azerbaijan Province, described this year as an unusual and eventful one.

“They made mistakes. May Almighty God guide them away from their errors. We are in mourning and sorrow for the bloodshed in the recent unrest,” he stated.

Emphasizing the need to preserve and strengthen “preparedness, vigilance, and national unity,” he added:

Except for the ringleaders and corrupt elements connected to enemies, we consider all those martyred and those who lost their lives in the unrest — including “forces defending security and public peace,” “innocent bystanders,” and even “those who were misled and joined the sedition due to naivety and anger” — as our own children, and we mourn and grieve for all of them.