Iranian state media on Wednesday aired footage of pro-government demonstrations in cities across the country after a week of protests and unrest over the nation's poor economy – a move apparently seeking to calm tensions amid clashes that have so far seen 21 people killed.
More than 450 anti-regime protesters have been arrested in the capital Tehran in recent days, and hundreds of others were detained around the country, according to officials.
The protests, the largest seen in Iran since its disputed 2009 presidential election, began Dec. 28 in the city of Mashhad, Iran's second largest, over the weak economy and a jump in food prices. They have since expanded to cities and towns in nearly every province.
The English-language network Press TV broadcast Wednesday's pro-government rallies live, saying they were to "protest the violence that has taken place over the last few nights in cities."
Demonstrators waved Iranians flags and signs supporting Iran's clerically overseen government.
"The seditionist rioters should be executed," marchers chanted on Wednesday, while posters they carried said hostile "hidden hands" guided from the United States, Israel and the United Kingdom should be cut off.
According to state TV, the demonstrations took place in at least 10 cities, including Ahvaz, the capital of the oil-rich province of Khuzestan, the Kurdish town of Kermanshah in the country's west and Qom, the religions capital of Shiite Islam in Iran.
The rallies come after Iran's Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei on Tuesday blamed days of protests across the country on meddling by "enemies of Iran."
Khamenei avoided identifying any foreign countries, although he promised to elaborate in the coming days. Undoubtedly high on his list is the United States, where U.S. President Donald Trump has tweeted his support for the protests for several days.
Marchers voiced their support for Khamenei, chanting: "The blood in our veins is a gift to our leader" and "We will not leave our leader alone."
The head of Tehran's Revolutionary Court reportedly warned that arrested anti-regime protesters could potentially face the death penalty.
"Obviously one of their charges can be moharebeh," or waging war against God, Iran's semi-official Tasnim news agency quoted Mousa Ghazanfarabadi as saying. Moharebeh is punishable by death in Iran.
