IRAN: Chinese-made armored anti-riot trucks, equipped with plows, may arrive in Tehran

An opposition news website is reporting that Iran has imported high-tech armored anti-riot vehicles equipped with water cannons that can douse people with boiling water or teargas.

The U.S.-based Persian-language news website Rahesabz, or Green Path, posted a photograph of what it described as a photograph of two of the trucks arriving at the Iranian port city of Bandar Abbas in the south.

The website said the vehicles were a rush order from their manufacturers in China, Dalian Eagle-Sky, according to the blogger Sohrebestan. 

(See a translation of his post in English at the blog Persian2English.)

With an alleged price of $650,000 a unit, the 25-ton trucks each hold 2,640 gallons of water, which can shoot hot or cold water at a distance of up 220 feet. 

They can also shoot tear gas, burning chemicals or paint stored in three 26-gallon containers.

It includes a plow, which can presumably demolish makeshift barriers placed on streets by protesters, or even the demonstrators themselves.

Iranian protesters torched police vehicles and motorcycles during anti-government riots last weekend, when police trucks allegedly ran over at least one demonstrator, as shown in the video below.

Iranian officials say the video footage was fake, doctored by the West to make Iran look bad.

Just hours after the cellphone camera photo was posted today, Iranian protest movement supporters began discussing what to do about them if they are employed on city streets.

"I would suggest luring them into narrow streets or between obstacles that are too narrow for them to turn around in, and then trapping them there from the front and behind with cars or barriers of some sort," wrote one commentator who goes by the pseudonym Coyote. "Then come at them from the areas where the cannons cannot point, preferably after the crews have abandoned them, and set them on fire from the inside. Burn their guts."

Another commentator, Dragoon, noted that Shah Mohammad Reza Pahlavi also employed anti-riot vehicles to put down protesters during the months leading up to the 1979 revolution.

-- Los Angeles Times

Top photo: An amateur picture purportedly shows new anti-riot vehicles arriving in Iran. Credit: Rahesabz. Bottom photo: The 25-ton truck as promoted on the website of its Chinese manufacturer.                         Video: Police vehicles ram protesters on the streets of Tehran. Credit: YouTube

Comments

[JB]

Why isn't there so much angst when a rebellion takes place in U.S. cities such as Los Angeles (post Rodney King) and the authorities beat down and shot the protesters? I understand that there were more deaths (from police bullets) during those riots than this past violence in Iran. The rioters then were portrayed as savages in LA while the times and others are dealing with the Iranian rioters are supported.

There is obviously hypocrisy here.

[Arash]

Cyrus,

Did you advocate the boycott of Nokia Siemens last summer due to their involvement (apparent) in the construction of Internet surveillance systems in Iran? How well did that go? How were sales affected, got some figures you could share with us? Just curious.. thanks.

[Arash]

Sean you're right, Israel doesn't kill its "own people", only those whos lands have been conquered/occupied that are protesting (much like the Iranian 'protestors') for their rights in their homeland.
Anyway.. you missed the point completely.. and thanks for the "idiot" comment :)

[FREE Iran ActivistChat]

Dear Freedom Loving American People,
Please ACT Now. If you believe in Human Rights and Free Society then Boycott Chinese products.
When you go to shopping please don’t buy products Made In China . Please think in the direction of American People National Interests and don’t move American jobs to China for cheaper labour.
Please don’t wait for government to ACT.
Regards,
Cyrus

[Hass]

They can bring any anti riots trucks,tanks or anything else but they cann't turn off the fire by the people....these stupid lier chicken ayatollahs'days are numbered and the know it very well so they spend so much money to stay alive for few more month....Down with Khomanie and his ill mentally puppet monkey nejad...!!!

[Sean]

lol! U r an idiot Arash! Israel doesn't kill it's own people, Iran's regime is doing! I admire people of Iran putting their life in danger everyday for freedom. I didn't dare to do so! Long life green people of Iran!

[Arash]

Point being? Israel buys its Palestinian protestor slaughter gear such as bull dozers from the USA (Caterpillar Corp)

[Amir]

Since when water canons fire boiling water and tear gas? I read about the boiling water on an amateur Iranian website which the author also said he doesn't know what a water canon is and was suggesting maybe they pour boiling water on people!! what is your source on these trucks firing boiling water??

[Sharareh]

It is amazing there is no remaind of the first source that annonced it:
http://twitter.com/omidhabibinia

Iranian Journalist who sperading the news of movement.

[Mr. Kedi]

this is like me (and many people's) tiannmen nightmare re-living.