Daijiworld Media Network - Tehran
Tehran, Mar 12: Authorities in Iran have warned they will take strict action against any anti-government protests as tensions escalate amid the ongoing conflict involving the United States and Israel.
Police chief Ahmad-Reza Radan said security forces would treat anyone taking to the streets at the “will of the enemy” as hostile elements rather than protesters.
“If people take to the streets at the will of the enemy, we will see them as the enemy and deal with them accordingly,” Radan said during a programme broadcast on state television.
The warning comes as US President Donald Trump and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu have openly called for the overthrow of Iran’s decades-old theocratic establishment.
Security forces, along with the paramilitary Basij units affiliated with the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC), have reportedly intensified patrols across Tehran and other major cities following nationwide protests and the ongoing war that began nearly two weeks ago.
Authorities said Basij forces have set up heavily armed checkpoints across several areas, particularly near security installations and government facilities.
State media footage has shown armoured vehicles and security personnel participating in rallies calling for revenge following the reported killing of Iran’s Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei.
Supporters have also been gathering in mosques while chanting slogans against the United States and Israel.
Meanwhile, the conflict has continued to intensify with reports of fresh attacks in the capital. Iranian media reported that a moving vehicle was struck by a bomb in eastern Tehran, killing four civilians and injuring several others.
In another incident, an administrative building linked to Bank Sepah — a financial institution associated with Iran’s armed forces — was hit in a missile strike overnight, reportedly causing heavy casualties.
Following the attack, the IRGC’s Khatam al-Anbiya Headquarters warned that Iran may expand its retaliatory actions to target US and Israeli economic and financial interests across the region.
Israeli officials have also suggested that future operations could involve more direct targeting of Basij units. In a video message directed at families of Basij members, an Israeli military spokesperson urged them to persuade their relatives to lay down arms.
Funeral processions for Iranian commanders killed during the conflict were held in Tehran on Wednesday, even as new air strikes were reported in parts of the capital.
Iranian authorities say more than 1,250 people have died during the conflict, most of them civilians, while Israeli officials claim that over 1,900 Iranian military personnel and commanders have been killed.
The war has also severely disrupted communications in the country, with authorities imposing a nationwide internet shutdown for nearly two weeks. While limited intranet services remain operational, state media continues to dominate the flow of information.