Iran's Judiciary Asked IRGC To Get Ready For Crackdown On Protests

According to the documents sent to Iran International by Edalat-e Ali (Ali's Justice), signed by deputy prosecutor Mohammad Nasiripur on May 10, the judiciary urged the IRGC to prepare a comprehensive plan to nip the expected protest in the bud as the government was to announce new prices for food and other goods in the wake of the elimination food import subsidies.

The seven-page document – in 12 paragraphs – considered the protests a result of incitement by "internal traitors, dissidents and foreign media" and urged the security apparatus to target “key elements” and "behind-the-scenes leaders" as well as "field agents, organizers, and people participating in the rallies" to prevent the “riots.”

Nasiripur also urged the security forces to boost their control of transportation routes to Tehran, including roads, railways and airlines, to stop weapons and ammunition from entering the city. He also called for the transfer of those arrested to Tehran’s Evin prison within less than 24 hours.

Earlier in the month, the government stopped a key import subsidy, effectively raising bread and other food prices and triggering protests in numerous small towns and cities across the country. But the unrest quickly turned into anti-Islamic Republic protests with people chanting slogans against top government leaders.