Publish Date: 23 November 2019 - 19:59

Tehran, Nov 23, IRNA – Iran's Police announced that it has arrested some 180 ring leaders of recent riots in certain Iranian cities in cooperation with the people and security forces.

Following the unrests in the country which was carried out by the opponents and opportunist individuals with the aim of creating insecurity and damaging public properties, Police managed to arrest ringleaders of the saboteur acts, it said.

Damaging public properties, setting fire on banks, staging illegal campaigns in cyberspace were among the incendiary measures carried out by the criminals.  

Iran Police appreciated public cooperation in the field, saying that it will stand against those wishing to create insecurity and riot in the society and will not allow a few people to cause chaos in the country.

Also on November 18, the intelligence forces of the Islamic Revolution Guard Corps (IRGC) of Alborz province identified and arrested 150 ringleaders of subversive and sabotage groups in the province.

The IRGC's intelligence branch of Alborz province identified and arrested these individuals in the course of the unrests.

Some of them confessed to being hired by trained people inside and outside the country, and they torched and destroyed public properties and buildings by receiving money.

Riots by a small number who have taken advantage of legitimate public protests against the government's gas price hike plan in Iran are directed at triggering chaos through targeted attacks on public and private properties, forcing law enforcement to step in to stop saboteurs.

A large number of protesters have only been present in the gathering centers and avoided joining the rioters in sabotage attacks on public and private properties.

In a relevant development on Sunday, the IRGC intelligence forces arrested two leaders of saboteurs, who were trying to take advantage of people's peaceful protests in Shiraz in Fars province, southern Iran.

These two people had been hired by certain foreign countries to carry out the mission of provoking people to attack key centers in cities and destroy the public properties in exchange for offers of cash and residence, the IRGC announced.

They also had the mission of filming the sabotage acts and sending them to their leaders abroad, it added.

Other missions of the saboteurs were to torch the police centers, police cars and destroy the government buildings and petrol stations.

Intelligence Ministry said on Sunday that it will strongly deal with the disruption of law and order by lawbreakers and that the Ministry will spare no efforts to fulfill its legal obligation to safeguard national security.

The Ministry said in a statement that major saboteurs of the public security in the past two days have been identified and proper measures are being taken.

The statement was referring to the riots that took place in protest against the petrol price rise on Saturday.

The Intelligence Ministry said in the statement that subsequently, the people will be informed about the measures taken, adding that for sure, the enemies of the people will once again be disappointed.

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