TEHRAN (Dispatches) – Iran’s police chief Brigadier General Hussein Ashtari said Monday his forces are ready to counter any security threat after successfully controlling recent protests against a government decision to hike gasoline prices.
Ashtari described subsequent riots as a conspiracy hatched by the U.S., the Zionist regime of Israel and some Arab regimes, saying thanks to the wisdom of Leader of the Islamic Revolution Ayatollah Seyyed Ali Khamenei and the "heroic” presence of the people on the scene, the conspiracy was thwarted.
"In controlling unrest and protests, our red line is the security of the people, protection of public property and restoration of order,” he said as he stressed the need for all police units to maintain readiness and vigilance.
Ashtari said during the recent riots police were not caught off guard as rioters sought to destroy public property.  
The protests quickly subsided after peaceful demonstrators separated their lines from violent rioters who were wreaking havoc in cities.  
Hundreds of thousands of Iranians also rallied across the country to reiterate support for the Islamic Republic and vent their anger at the United States and the occupying regime of Israel for instigating the unrest.
 "We have shown restraint... But we will destroy our enemies ... America, Israel and Saudi Arabia if they cross our red lines,” chief commander of the Islamic Revolution Guards Corps (IRGC) General Hussein Salami told demonstrators in Tehran’s Revolution Square.