Iran’s police chief says calm has been restored across the country after a week of foreign-backed riots, noting that public cooperation with security forces had driven “the last nail into the coffin of terrorism.”

Despite new calls issued from outside Iran urging riots on Thursday night, no gathering was reported from across the country, with domestic media reporting that Iran had its calmest night.

“By God’s grace and with the conscious presence of the people, the last nail was driven into the coffin of terrorism,” Brigadier General Ahmadreza Radan said on Thursday.

He added that people’s presence “gave new life to the forces on the ground,” stressing that cooperation between the public and security forces was “the secret of this victory.”

He was referring to the nationwide rallies that were held on Monday to slam foreign-backed riots and voice support for the Islamic establishment.

Radan said Iran witnessed “unprecedented calm and security” last night, with no street gatherings reported across the country.

The remarks followed days of unrest as peaceful protests by some merchants were hijacked and turned into violent riots.

The initial demonstrations were driven by currency volatility and rising inflation linked to unlawful US and European sanctions against the country.

Authorities say the situation changed on January 8, when organized and deliberate violence overtook the economic protests, carried out by foreign-backed rioters and saboteurs.

Armed groups attacked public property, including shops, banks, bus stations, and mosques, and killed a number of security personnel trying to restore order, while also killing ordinary citizens.

Officials say evidence shows foreign-backed terrorist groups used and distributed weapons and deliberately targeted civilians and security forces, holding Israel and the United States directly responsible for the violence.

Iranian Army’s chief commander, Major General Amir Hatami, voiced the Iranian forces’ readiness to confront plots.

“All guardians of the security are ready to neutralize plots hatched by Iran’s enemies,” he said on Thursday after a meeting with Radan.

“Of course, the main and significant work was done by our dear people — a highly valuable act and a message to the arrogant powers that they are mistaken; this is Iran,” Hatami added.

Five terrorists arrested in Fars

Iranian police have arrested five members of a terrorist cell linked to recent riots in the city of Marvdasht, southern Iran, authorities said on Thursday.

Colonel Alireza Noushad, the city’s police commander, said the arrests followed the killing of three security personnel during unrest on January 8.

According to Noushad, intelligence-led operations and round-the-clock surveillance led to the identification of five members of an eight-man terrorist team. The suspects were arrested in separate, coordinated operations at hideouts in the cities of Shiraz and Marvdasht, with judicial authorization, he added.

Two key members of the group had been detained earlier, while efforts to arrest the remaining suspect are ongoing, he said.

Police seized a large cache of weapons and military-grade ammunition used in the riots.

Terrorist networks dealt a blow in Kerman

Iran’s Intelligence Ministry says it has dealt a major blow to armed terrorist networks in the southeastern city of Kerman, announcing the arrest of six key figures linked to recent riots and terror operations.

In a statement, the Kerman provincial intelligence office said the suspects were identified and detained with public cooperation and follow-up intelligence work by security forces.

According to the statement, two of the detainees had procured firearms and set up a 20-member network to carry out “widespread and targeted destruction” during recent riots.

They were also accused of filming sensitive military sites and attempting to transmit images and coordinates to an individual linked to Israel’s spy service abroad, an effort that failed due to internet disruptions.

Security forces seized firearms, stun guns, tear gas spray and materials used to make explosives.

One of the detainees, according to the statement, is linked to the so-called Democratic Party of Iranian Kurdistan. The individual had contacted the terrorist group and attempted to procure firearms to attack security forces.

Other detainees include a fugitive riot instigator arrested in Bam and two ringleaders who had directed attacks on police forces in Kerman.

Terrorist cell dismantled in Hormozgan

The police commander of the southern province of Hormozgan announced the arrest of 10 members of a terrorist cell active during the recent riots.

General Aliakbar Javidan said that coordinated operations on Thursday night targeted three of the group’s hideouts, resulting in the arrest of 10 individuals, including two women.

He stated that 65 Molotov cocktails, two firearms, and several handmade grenades were seized during the raids.

Javidan added that the cell had been responsible for producing homemade explosives and for directing and coordinating the riots.

Terrorist detained in Golestan

In the northern province of Golestan, officials announced a key arrest linked to the riots.

An armed terrorist in the city of Gonbad-e Kavus, who had threatened residents with “killing and bloodshed,” was detained in a surprise operation on Thursday.

The suspect had circulated a video warning, “We came to kill; be ready.”

Security officials said the arrest was carried out with public cooperation and intelligence monitoring. Several main operatives and ringleaders behind armed unrest in the area were also detained.

Investigators said the suspects were trained online in how to destroy public and private property and received money for carrying out attacks.

The arrests came as Defense Minister Brigadier General Aziz Nasirzadeh said on Thursday that the United States and Israel were orchestrating the riots and financing violence inside Iran.

He said Iran has “precise intelligence” showing that the United States, the Israeli regime and some allied countries set up coordination centers to guide separatists and terrorists, smuggle weapons and provide financial and logistical support.

According to Nasirzadeh, even the price of violence was fixed, and the plan was to partition Iran.

He said assigning a set payment for each killing showed the goal was “manufacturing deaths,” adding that one individual had already been arrested after receiving about $6,000 to carry out such acts.

Senior officials have urged the public to distance themselves from armed groups, while the judiciary has warned there will be “no leniency” toward those involved in terrorism and vandalism.

PressTV report