TEHRAN – Iran’s intelligence forces succeeded to disband 140 terrorist teams in Iran during the protest rallies, an Iranian lawmaker has said, hailing the forces for ensuring security across the country.

The Intelligence Ministry and the Islamic Revolution Guards Corps (IRGC) Intelligence Organization busted 140 terrorist teams before and during the outbreak of the recent riots, Javad Karimi Qodoosi said, according to Tasnim.

Karimi Qodoosi, a member of parliament’s National Security and Foreign Policy Committee, referred to the calls for President Rouhani’s resignation or parliament’s dissolution as a major plot hatched by Iran’s enemies.

The same plot was carried out in Iraq, he said, referring to the recent protests in the neighboring Arab country which led to the resignation of Iraqi Prime Minister Abdul Mahdi.

He said a number of lawmakers were going to resign in response to the protests, but Leader of the Islamic Revolution Ayatollah Ali Khamenei’s remarks nipped the enemy’s plot in the bud.

On November 15, 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.

The protests just lasted for a few days.

Meanwhile, the way the price hike implemented has been widely criticized by many Iranian figures.

Head of Iran's Civil Defense Organization said on Saturday that the Intelligence Ministry is responsible for an investigation into a possible infiltration of enemies into the management system regarding the implementation of the rise in gas price. 

The general said the plan was conducted very badly.

“The plan was implemented so badly that some people believe that the enemies had possibly have infiltrated into the country’s management system.”

Early estimates of an intelligence body showed that a sum of nearly 87,000 protesters and rioters had taken part in protest rallies and gatherings when the price increase went into effect. 

A large number of protesters, that over 93% of them were men, had only been present in the gathering centers and avoided joining the rioters.

Nearly 1,000 people were arrested across the country while over 100 banks and 57 big stores were set on fire or plundered in just one province.

The Intelligence Ministry announced in a statement last week that it had identified several rioters who misused the protest rallies.

“The main culprits behind the riots… have been identified and proper measures are being adopted and the honorable nation will be informed about its result later,” the statement said.  

MH/PA