Iran saw another day of large pro-regime rallies on Thursday after authorities declared the end of deadly unrest and turned attention to addressing economic concerns that fuelled protests.
A week after the demonstrations broke out, there were no reports of fresh protests in local media overnight, while videos on social media suggested only limited unrest in provincial towns which could not be immediately verified.
Fresh U.S. sanctions?
As Washington suggested it may be looking to impose fresh sanctions on Tehran, Iranian authorities were weighing options including blocking unpopular measures in President Hassan Rouhani’s recent budget.
State television showed huge crowds marching in support of the government across 10 cities early on Thursday, including Isfahan, Ardebil and Mashhad, where the protests first erupted last Thursday.
General Mohammad Ali Jafari, the head of Iran’s powerful Revolutionary Guards, on Wednesday announced the “end of the sedition”.
A total of 21 people died in five days of unrest that began on December 28.
The unrest caused international concern, with the U.S. in particular accusing authorities of a crackdown on dissent.
Iran’s UN Ambassador Gholamali Khoshroo said in a letter that the U.S. government had “stepped up its acts of intervention in a grotesque way in Iran’s internal affairs” and accused Washington of violating international law and the principles of the UN charter.
