Public transport vehicle torched by rioters in the western city of Ilan

Press TV – Jan 8, 2026

Iranian security and judicial authorities have announced the dismantling of several armed terror cells and the arrest of foreign-linked operatives amid a wave of foreign-backed riots that have claimed the lives of several law enforcement officers.

The unrest has continued for several days, with rioters exploiting public concerns over rising living costs and currency depreciation to incite violence.

In the western city of Borujerd, Public Prosecutor Goodarz Amraei confirmed the arrest of several ringleaders for orchestrating riots and attacking religious sites and public property.

According to judicial reports, the suspects were non-local individuals with extensive criminal records who had entered the city specifically to incite violence.

The Lorestan Police Information Center announced that security forces had neutralized a four-member armed team in Borujerd.

The cell was reportedly preparing a false-flag killing operation aimed at blaming the state for civilian deaths to further destabilize the region. Firearms, ammunition, and specialized equipment for manufacturing improvised explosive devices (IEDs) were seized from the group’s hideout.

 

In a separate development, four individuals were arrested in Qazvin for plotting sophisticated attacks on military and government installations.

On Monday, security officials in Tehran announced the arrest of a Mossad operative who was operating covertly among rioters.

According to officials, the suspect confessed to acting as a high-level liaison, receiving tactical instructions via social media platforms such as Instagram and Telegram from handlers based in Germany.

His mission included recruiting young people for street violence and documenting unrest for use by foreign propaganda outlets.

Iranian authorities have also moved to counter a coordinated digital warfare campaign fueled by disinformation.

In Tehran, 40 individuals were arrested for using artificial intelligence (AI) tools to create and circulate fabricated images and videos of unrest.

These deepfakes and recycled footage from previous years were used to create the illusion of widespread chaos.

Officials said the suspects were identified through technical and intelligence operations, and the misleading content was removed in coordination with judicial authorities.

Four policemen martyred

Meanwhile, at least four police officers were martyred in separate incidents across the country on Wednesday and Thursday.

In Malard, west of Tehran, Officer Shahin Dehghan was fatally stabbed while attempting to restore order during a riot.

In the southeastern province of Sistan and Baluchestan, Mahmoud Haghighat was assassinated when gunmen, later identified as members of the Jaish al-Adl terrorist group, opened fire on his vehicle.

In the southwest city of Lordegan, clashes escalated when rioters, some armed with military-grade hunting rifles, opened fire on police, killing two officers and wounding 30 others.

The bodies of the two officers identified as Staff Sergeant Hadi Azaraz and Staff Sergeant Moslem Mahdavi-Nasab were carried in a funeral procession on Thursday in the martyrs’ cemetery in the city of Shahr-e Kord before being transferred to their hometowns.

Authorities say the fatalities mark a violent escalation that goes beyond economic protest, describing the incidents as a calculated effort to destabilize the country through armed insurrection.

 

Tasnim News Agency reported on Thursday that separatist Kurdish factions based in northern Iraq have shifted from logistical support to active field operations inside Iranian territory.

It said that intelligence sources have documented direct involvement by these groups in Iran’s western provinces of Ilam and Kermanshah.

Meanwhile, five people were killed overnight after a group attacked a police station in the city of Chenaran in Iran’s northeastern Khorasan Razavi province, a provincial security official said on Thursday.

Amirollah Shamaghdari, the deputy governor for security and law enforcement, said the attackers climbed the walls of the station during the incident. He added that in recent days, 23 police officers and one protester had been injured in unrest across the province, according to the official IRNA news agency.

He said sensitive and military sites are protected facilities and that safeguarding them is a priority, calling on citizens to separate peaceful protest from acts of violence and damage to public property.

Shamaghdari said Mashhad was the most volatile city in the province on Wednesday, while Chenaran and Neyshabur also saw unrest. He said several people had been arrested in Mashhad, Neshabur and Sabzevar.

In Mashhad, Shamaghdari said, a city bus was set on fire after its driver was forced off the vehicle, and that traffic signs were torn down and used to block roads.

He also referred to an incident in which Iran’s flag was taken down in a public square, adding that it was raised again on Thursday with the participation of local residents.

The acts of riots and armed attacks have been openly encouraged by American and Israeli figures.

US President Donald Trump has repeatedly voiced support for protesters, warning that Washington could attack Iran if what he described as “peaceful protesters” are harmed.

Former US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo has also issued statements alluding to Mossad involvement in riots and hinting at separatist plots targeting Iran’s Sistan and Baluchestan province.

 

The latest threats come just days after Trump appeared to greenlight potential Israeli attacks on Iran over its nuclear and missile programs.

They also follow a US-Israeli assault earlier this year, described by Iranian officials as a 12-day act of state terrorism that resulted in the deaths of more than a thousand civilians and targeted Iran’s civilian, military, and nuclear infrastructure.

Iranian officials have pointed to Western hypocrisy, noting that the economic hardships cited by protesters are the direct result of unilateral US sanctions.

Economic data shows that the sharp depreciation of the Iranian rial and the surge in living costs can be traced back to the 2011–2012 sanctions regime, which targeted Iran’s central bank and oil exports.

Iranian officials have acknowledged the legitimacy of economic grievances raised by peaceful protesters and have vowed to address them, while emphasizing a clear distinction between lawful assembly and foreign-instigated violence.

On Thursday, Tehran prosecutor warned individuals and businesses against supporting calls for riots, saying legal cases have been opened against several brands, shops and a small number of social media influencers.

According to the judiciary’s media center, calls to incite disorder and insecurity in cities across the country had been accompanied by direct and indirect support from a limited number of brands and retail outlets.

The Tehran prosecutor ordered judicial authorities to monitor social media activity and identify offenders for prosecution, the report said.

IRNA said several legal cases were opened over the past day against some brands and shops. It added that cases have also been filed against a number of well-known online figures indirectly supporting the riots.

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