Iranian officials urge loyalists to keep up street rallies amid protest fears

Iranian officials and state bodies have called for continued pro-government street rallies amid concerns over a potential new wave of protests, even as prospects of an agreement between Tehran and Washington seem to be growing.Iran's Revolutionary Guards said pro-government gatherings were important and thanked religious eulogists for their support and participation. The defense ministry said the presence of Islamic Republic supporters in the streets served as a deterrent for the theocracy.Government spokesperson Fatemeh Mohajerani also thanked loyalists for continuing to participate in street rallies during a news conference on Tuesday.While defending internet disruptions that have lasted for around three months, Mohajerani said the continuing outages were due to technical issues. She also stressed the need to regulate social media platforms and described Starlink and international internet access as serious threats to the government's control over cyberspace.