In his statement made on January 10, Radan noted: “Last night, important arrests of key participants in the riots were made. If it is God's will, they will be punished after all necessary legal procedures are completed.”
The Iranian state broadcaster IRIB also showed footage of the detention of protest participants in Shiraz and Mazandaran, but did not specify the number of those arrested or their names. According to the Tasnim agency, citing sources in law enforcement, at least 200 leaders of armed groups have been detained for organizing mass riots.
Protests in Iran began in late December against the backdrop of the national currency's decline and a sharp increase in prices. Participants are demanding a change in the political regime and the return to power of Reza Pahlavi, the son of the shah who was overthrown in 1979. According to Time magazine, the number of fatalities during the protests is at least 217 people. In turn, the country's authorities reported the deaths of 15 police officers as a result of the riots.
