Canada, Australia, and European Union issue joint statement on Iran

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Foreign Ministers of Australia, Canada and the European Union have issued a joint statement on the ongoing situation in Iran.

The statement condemns the killing of protestors, the use of violence, arbitrary arrests, and intimidation tactics by the Iranian regime against its own people.

"Iran must immediately end the use of excessive and lethal force by its security forces including the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps and Basij against protestors. Too many lives – over 40 to date - have already been lost."

Large-scale demonstrations have been ongoing since December due to an economic crisis.

The Iranian government has imposed a nationwide internet and phone shutdown, and security forces have used lethal force to quell unrest, while thousands of people have been detained.