"Thousands of Iranians took part in a large rally on Monday in Gilan, east of Tehran, in support of the government and to condemn rioting linked to weeks of nationwide protests. Footage aired by state television shows large crowds gathered in the area, waving Iranian flags and chanting slogans. The exact scale of participation could not be independently verified. Iranian television said similar rallies were held in multiple cities to denounce the 'crimes of armed terrorists'. Broadcast images showed crowds in Birjand, Zanjan, Kerman, Zahedan, Rasht, Arak, Mashhad, Tabriz, and other locations. Local media reported that the government had called on citizens on Sunday to join mass demonstrations to condemn the riots, express support for the authorities and their reform measures, and reject what officials described as American and Israeli 'interference' in Iran’s internal affairs. The rallies come as several Iranian cities continue to see unrest, with protests in some areas escalating into riots and vandalism targeting public property. Tehran’s police chief said on Tuesday that security forces dealt with rioters 'firmly and decisively', confirming the arrest of 'a large number' after they were separated from peaceful protesters. Iran's President Masoud Pezeshkian announced economic plans to deal with the 'people's demands' on Sunday, but also accused the US of trying to 'sow chaos and disorder'. On Friday, Donald Trump told Iran's authorities they "better not start shooting, because we'll start shooting too", having previously warned that he could intervene following any potential crackdown. Iran has been gripped by protests since late December, initially breaking out in Tehran before spreading to other cities, driven by worsening economic conditions and the sharp fall in the value of the Iranian rial against the US dollar. "