400 people detained, 25 killed in recent Iran riots: Judiciary spokesman

The spokesman of Iran’s judiciary says a total of 400 people have been detained and 25 killed during recent riots, which followed protests at the country’s economic conditions in a number of Iranian cities.

Gholam-Hossein Mohseni-Ejei made the remarks in a weekly press conference on Sunday, noting that none of those 25 people killed during the riots were shot by Iran’s security forces.

“A number of people, who took commands from abroad and were leaders of the recent riots have been taken into custody. A total of 622 people were arrested in the first three days of the riots, some of whom were later released on bail,” he said.

He added that the United States and Zionists are continuing their hostility against Iran, saying, "They sought to harm the Islamic establishment."

However, he said, the Iranian people, backed by security forces, distanced themselves from rioters immediately after they realized that the enemy had hatched a plot to provoke unrest and stir insecurity in the country.

Millions of Iranians then poured into streets to tell the enemy that they would never be deceived even if there are some problems in the country, Mohseni-Ejei pointed out.

Since December 30, groups of Iranian protesters staged protests in several cities to voice their anger over rising prices and economic conditions. Sporadic violence erupted during the protests, causing a number of deaths.

Leader of the Islamic Revolution Ayatollah Seyyed Ali Khamenei said on January 2 that enemies have been using various tools to deal blows to the Iranian nation and the Islamic establishment in the course of the latest developments in the country.

PressTV-'Enemies using various tools to harm Iranian nation'

Ayatollah Khamenei says Iran’s enemies have in recent days been seeking to harm the Islamic establishment using all means available to them.

“During the events of the past several days, Iran’s enemies, using various tools at their disposal, including money, weapons, politics, and security apparatus, have formed an alliance [with one another] to create problems for the Islamic establishment,” the Leader said.

Ayatollah Khamenei's remarks came a day after Iran's President Hassan Rouhani said the Iranian people would deal with a "small and minority group" of rioters and lawbreakers exploiting the protests against economic conditions.

PressTV-Iranians will deal with rioters, lawbreakers: Rouhani

The Iranian president says the people will deal with a small group of rioters and lawbreakers that try to exploit protests against economic conditions.

Rouhani said the nation would counter the small group that had used protests as an excuse to chant slogans in violation of the law and people's demands, insult the sanctities and values of the Islamic Revolution, and damage public property.

In a statement on January 1, Iran's Intelligence Ministry also announced that it had identified and arrested some of the agents behind the riots.

PressTV-Iran arrests several agents behind riots

Iran's Intelligence Ministry says it has identified and arrested some of the agents behind the recent protests in the country.

The ministry added that Iranian security forces helped by people had managed to detain some of the elements who incited unrest in several cities across the country.

Elsewhere in his remarks, Mohseni-Ejei said that a drug addict arrested during the riots had committed suicide at Arak police station. The spokesman noted that the city's judiciary branch has opened a case to investigate the issue.

The spokesman added that a 21-year-old man also committed suicide at Evin House of Detention after he was arrested in connection with recent riots. Mohseni-Ejei dismissed as "sheer lies" certain claims about the suicide of two other persons detained in relation to the riots.

Press TV’s website can also be accessed at the following alternate addresses:

www.presstv.co.uk