Iranian officials have vowed to severely punish "rioters" arrested during protests across Iran, giving those who joined the protests under incitement three days to surrender.
"The main work of the judiciary has only just begun with the recent events," Iran's Judiciary Chief Gholam-Hossein Mohseni-Ajei wrote in a post on social media on Monday. "If we show mercy to someone who does not deserve it, it will be against justice."
The three leaders, who met with President Masoud Pezeshkian and Parliament Speaker Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf after the protests, warned of punishment. In a joint statement, they said strict action would be taken against "murderers and terrorist instigators." However, "Islamic sympathy" could be shown for those who were "incited" by foreign powers to take part in the protests.
The Iranian government has long blamed the US and Israel for the protests. On Saturday, Iran's Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei acknowledged that "several thousand" people had been killed in the protests. However, the government claims that foreign-backed agents, not government forces, were responsible for the deaths.
Thousands of people are believed to have been arrested so far in the protests that began on December 28. Iran's intelligence agency said members of a "terrorist group" were arrested in Tehran who had entered Iran through the western border. In addition, "riot leaders" were arrested in various cities including Kerman and Isfahan.
Police Chief Ahmadreza Radan said those who joined the protests under duress had been given three days to surrender. State television has already broadcast "confessions" of many with their faces blurred, admitting to the violence and looting.
The process of confiscating the assets of those who supported the protests and recovering the financial losses caused by the protests has begun. The head of the Prosecutor General, Mohammad Movahedi Azad, said that according to the law, compensation for the riots must be collected from those who supported the protests.
The government has already seized all the assets of a big businessman. These include famous cafes and food brands. In addition, the cafe of former popular footballer Voriya Ghafouri has also been confiscated.
Trump's threats and Iran's response
During the protests, US President Donald Trump called on Iranians to take over government institutions. He said Khamenei's 37-year rule should end. In response, Iran's Guardian Council condemned Trump's remarks as "baseless and foolish." They warned that insulting the Supreme Leader would cross a red line, with dire consequences.
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Internet blackout
Iran's internet remains under strict restrictions, with the government saying it will gradually reopen the internet by the end of the week. But analysts believe the government is actually testing a controlled internet system.
Meanwhile, the CEO of Irancell has been replaced. There have been allegations that some of the company's operators were slow to comply with the nationwide shutdown order on January 8. A newspaper has also been shut down for reporting on the protests, and satellite broadcasts of state-run television have been disrupted by unknown sources.
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