Tasnim � Iranian Police Commander Brigadier General Hossein Ashtari highlighted his forces� preparedness to counter any security threat and said the police were not taken by surprise during recent riots in a number of cities in the country.

In a speech in Tehran on Monday, Brigadier General Ashtari described the recent riots as a conspiracy hatched by the US, the Zionist regime of Israel and some Arab states and said thanks to the wisdom of Leader of the Islamic Revolution Ayatollah Seyed Ali Khamenei and the �heroic� presence of the people on the scene, the conspiracy was foiled.

�In controlling unrest and protests, our red line is the security of the people, protection of public property and restoration of order ...,� he stated.

The commander further emphasized the necessity to maintain the preparedness and vigilance of all police units.

�In recent incidents, the rioters were seeking to destroy (public properties) but police forces were not surprised and with full preparedness were present in all scenes and handled the unrest,� Brigadier General Ashtari stated.

Following a hike in the price of gasoline last month, a number of Iranian cities saw sporadic protests that turned violent in some cases. A number of banks and government buildings were set ablaze.

Meanwhile, anti-Iranian media outlets as well as some Western officials, including US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo, voiced their support for the rioters who took advantage of the protests in a number of Iranian cities.

In an address on November 17, Leader of the Islamic Revolution Ayatollah Seyed Ali Khamenei warned that the sporadic protests and acts of vandalism in Iran would create insecurity.

Describing insecurity as the worst calamity for society, the Leader said that �all evil centers in the world� have mobilized efforts in recent days to encourage unrest in Iran.

Ayatollah Khamenei also called on the Iranian authorities to be careful that the rise in the price of fuel would not increase the price of other commodities.

The Leader also called on the people to separate themselves from a group of thugs who are encouraged by the foreign-based anti-Iranian front to foment insecurity.