Four political parties in Kurdistan province in Iran have declared their support for the protests in the country, calling upon the international community to support what they have described as people’s “rightful demands”.

In a joint statement, Democratic Party of Iranian Kurdistan (PDKI) and Society of Revolutionary Toilers of Iranian Kurdistan (SRTIK) have urged the international community to put pressure on the Islamic Republic to release people detained during recent protests.

Meanwhile, the Free Life Party of Kurdistan (PJAK) has also declared its support for the “rightful demands” of Iranians, insisting that Iran’s problems can be addressed only through democracy.

Furthermore, in a separate statement, the Kurdistan Democratic Party (KDP), a splinter group of the PDKI has called upon international community to defend the "oppressed people of Iran."

These Kurdish parties have had armed clashes with the Islamic Republic’s security forces in different periods of time. They are all branded as “terrorists” by the ruling system in Tehran.

The demonstrations against rising prices, unemployment and corruption that started last Thursday in Shi’a holy cities of Mashhad and Qom was extended in its fourth day to mainly Kurdish populated cities in western Iran, including Kermanshah, Sanandaj and Baneh.

Sanandaj’s Governor on Tuesday, January 2, denied reports that one person had been killed during street protests in the city and dismissed them as “unfounded rumor”.

Praising “high political culture” of Sanandaj citizens, Mohammad Ebrahim Zare’ei said, “Enemies’ plot to disturb peace and security in Sanandaj is doomed to fail”.

Reportedly, at least 22 people have been killed so far, during street demonstrations against the ruling system in over ninety cities.