Grieving relatives of people killed in the protests across Iran have reportedly been offered a mere £28 gift card in compensation. According to messages seen by the news outlet Iran International, commanders from the Revolutionary Guards and provincial officials visited homes in the country’s northern Golestan province. 

They reportedly travel in groups of six to 10, warning the families of the deceased about publicising their stories and giving the government’s account of how the protests unfolded. Before leaving the homes, they hand over a folder containing a certificate of appreciation, and one or two gift cards to the value of 50 million rial (£28), witnesses claimed to the outlet.

According to the messages, families described the gesture as a humiliating attempt to buy their silence and prevent legal action over the circumstances surrounding their loved ones’ deaths.

In January, the Iranian regime offered its citizens £5 a month in vouchers to stop protesting amid mass demonstations against clerical rule and the country’s tanking economy.

President Masoud Pezeshkian announced the “economic relief” plan, which amounts to the average daily salary of a worker in Iran.

He said: “Any problems or shortcomings in society are a direct result of actions – therefore, it is essential that stakeholders and implementers are involved in all aspects of decision-making.

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“Undoubtedly, direct interaction with the people – listening to their concerns, demands, and criticisms and working to persuade public opinion – plays a key role in reducing psychological and social pressures.

“Society cannot be appeased or calmed through coercion or improper methods.”

The verified death toll from the crackdown on the protests has now surpassed 7,000, with many more still feared dead. The US-based Human Rights Activists News Agency put the figure at 7,005, including 214 government forces.