Peaceful Pro-Government Demonstrations Take Place in Iran - Reports

MOSCOW (Sputnik) - Peaceful pro-government demonstrations denouncing recent protests took place on Friday near the Tehran metro, the IRNA news agency reported Friday.

According to the agency, rallies were held in cities including Shahr-e Ray, Damavand, Shahriar, Pakdasht, and Robat Karim to show their allegiance to the country’s establishment.

Since December 28, Iran has been engulfed by mass anti-government protests, which began in response to a surge in fuel and food prices, poverty and high rates of unemployment.

Official data estimates that 42,000 people rallied in protests in such cities as Tehran, Mashhad, Isfahan and Rasht, with at least 20 people killed as a result of the unrest and 450 detained.

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© REUTERS

People protest in Tehran, Iran December 30, 2017 in this picture obtained from social media

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© AP Photo / Ebrahim Noroozi

Iranian protesters chant slogans at a rally in Tehran, Iran, Saturday, Dec. 30, 2017

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© AP Photo / Ebrahim Noroozi

Iranian protesters chant slogans at a rally in Tehran, Iran, Saturday, Dec. 30, 2017

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© AP Photo

Iran, university students attend a protest inside Tehran University while a smoke grenade is thrown by anti-riot Iranian police, in Tehran, Iran, Saturday, Dec. 30, 2017

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© AP Photo

FILE - In this Saturday, Dec. 30, 2017 file photo taken by an individual not employed by the Associated Press and obtained by the AP outside Iran, a university student attends a protest inside Tehran University while a smoke grenade is thrown by anti-riot Iranian police, in Tehran, Iran

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© REUTERS

People protest in Tehran, Iran December 30, 2017 in this picture obtained from social media

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© AP Photo / Ebrahim Noroozi

Iranian protesters chant slogans at a rally in Tehran, Iran, Saturday, Dec. 30, 2017

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© AP Photo / Ebrahim Noroozi

Iranian protesters chant slogans at a rally in Tehran, Iran, Saturday, Dec. 30, 2017

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© AP Photo

Iran, university students attend a protest inside Tehran University while a smoke grenade is thrown by anti-riot Iranian police, in Tehran, Iran, Saturday, Dec. 30, 2017

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© AP Photo

FILE - In this Saturday, Dec. 30, 2017 file photo taken by an individual not employed by the Associated Press and obtained by the AP outside Iran, a university student attends a protest inside Tehran University while a smoke grenade is thrown by anti-riot Iranian police, in Tehran, Iran

Iranian President Hassan Rouhani explained on January 1 that the protests had been provoked by a combination of existing domestic problems and outside influence, in particular, from the US, Israel and Saudi Arabia, aiming to destabilize the country.

READ MORE: Former CIA Chief Slams Trump for Derailing 'Peaceful Political Reform' in Iran

This position has been determined by Iran's prosecutor general, who named a CIA official, Michael D'Andrea, as the mastermind and "main designer" of the unrest in the country.

READ MORE: Iranian Top Prosecutor Accuses US, Israel and Saudi Arabia of Staging Protests

On Tuesday, the Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps (IRGC) said that the "riot of the year" had failed. According to commander Maj. Gen. Mohammad Ali Jafari, the number of protesters was small and did not exceed 15,000 across the country.

READ MORE: Iran's Islamic Revolution Guards Corps: Riot of Year Failed