An Iranian man threatening to jump from a telephone pole in central Tehran was talked down by emergency services on July 8 as crowds gathered below and blocked traffic for three hours. In an apparent protest against the Iranian regime, the man wore a tunic printed with the words "Lies, suppression, and poverty." The incident has drawn attention to the high suicide rate in Iran, where several suicides intended as public protests have made news this year.
Thwarted Suicide Caught In Public View In Tehran
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Emergency workers face off with the 36-year-old man who had threatened to jump to his death from a telephone pole. The man's tunic reads: "Lies, suppression, and poverty."
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Crowds gather in Tehran's Haft-e Tir Square as emergency workers persuade the man to return to safety.
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Neighbors watch as the drama unfolds.
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A number of Iranians have committed suicide this year in protest against social conditions in Iran, including a retired oil industry employee who set himself on fire outside the Oil Ministry over the poor living conditions endured by pensioners.
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Emergency workers eventually persuaded the man to climb down to safety.
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Firefighters escort the man to the ground.
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