TEHRAN – The Intelligence Ministry says it has arrested those who implemented the Iran International TV’s order to set fire to public and private property in different Iranian provinces.

In a statement on Saturday, the ministry said the individuals were identified and arrested while trying to set fire to public and private property in order to intensify the unrest, Mehr reported.

Protests erupted in some cities in Iran against increasing gasoline price. In certain cases, the protests turned violent as some rioters clashed with police, using knives and guns.

Rioters damaged public and private property and put banks and state buildings on fire.

Last week, the Iranian embassy in London said it had filed a complaint against the London-based anti-Iran TV channels.

Ambassador Hamid Baeidinejad said the TV channels, which also include Iran International, incite protestors to resort to violence and also broadcast false reports about rallies against the rise in gasoline price.

“Our country’s embassy in London has filed complaint against Persian language anti-Iran TV channels of Iran International, BBC Persian and Manoto TV to Ofcom, because of the biased distortion of the recent incidents in Iran and also their invitation for the spread of violence,” Baeidinejad tweeted last Friday.

In another case last year, Baeidinejad said Ofcom was pursuing the embassy’s lawsuit against Iran International.

The lawsuit was filed over the channel’s support for a terrorist group involved in an attack on a military parade in Ahvaz. Iran International broadcast an interview with the spokesman of the al-Ahwaziya terrorist group after the incident.

The station is believed to be directly supported by the royal Saudi court. 

The Guardian cited a source close to the Saudi government as saying that Iran International receives an estimated $250m from the Saudi royal court each year.

MH/PA