TEHRAN, Jan. 14 (Xinhua) -- A large funeral procession was held here on Wednesday for security personnel and civilians killed during the recent unrest in Iran, which authorities have attributed to "rioters and terrorists."
The event was attended by senior officials, including Iranian Foreign Minister Seyed Abbas Araghchi, and citizens, who carried national flags and images of Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei and the deceased. Participants also chanted slogans against Israel and the United States, while voicing support for the police.
Meanwhile, Xinhua reporters based in Tehran observed on Wednesday that the ongoing protests have become relatively peaceful, with no signs of widespread panic or panic buying, although local residents worry about a possible imminent conflict.
Separately, Iran's judiciary on Wednesday rejected a recent media report on the death toll from protests in the country, calling it "false and unreal," state media reported.
In a statement published by Mizan news agency, the judiciary accused the London-based Iran International news network, which it said is affiliated with Israel, of fabricating a claim that numbers on burial covers indicated the number of fatalities. It said the numbers were burial permit identifiers.
The judiciary did not provide its own casualty figure. Iran International reported on Tuesday at 12,000 people were killed in the recent protests.
Protests erupted since late last month in several Iranian cities over the sharp depreciation of the Iranian currency rial. The Iranian authorities said they are prepared to address economic grievances, while warning against violence, vandalism, and unrest.
Initially peaceful, the protests gradually turned violent over the past few days, resulting in casualties and damage to public property, mosques, government buildings, and banks. The Iranian authorities have blamed the United States and Israel for the unrest. ■
