"Hundreds of thousands of Iranians took to the streets across the country on Monday in rallies backing the government and condemning rioting linked to weeks of ongoing protests. Footage shows large crowds filling city streets, waving Iranian flags and holding portraits of Ayatollah Ali Khamenei. Iranian state television said the rallies were held to denounce what it described as the 'crimes of armed terrorists'. Broadcast images showed crowds gathering in several cities, including Birjand, Zanjan, Kerman, Zahedan, Rasht, Arak, Mashhad and Tabriz. 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."