Tehran warns: countries in the region will go through difficult times if proven to be involved in Iran's protests

TEHRAN (Reuters) - Iran will respond firmly to any country found to be involved in meddling in its affairs, sparking riots and harming the people, Iran's first vice president said on Sunday, stressing that they would pay the price for their actions.

Iran's semi-official Fars news agency reported that Iranian Vice President Isaac Jahangiri on Saturday warned some countries in the region that they would face unspecified serious consequences if they were found to be involved in the unrest in his country.

"Some countries in the region should know that they will go through a difficult time if they are proven to be involved in spreading unrest in Iran," Fars quoted Jahangiri as saying.

Iran has previously blamed "outlaws" with links to foreign dissidents and foreign enemies, usually the United States, Israel and Saudi Arabia, in fomenting unrest following a rise in gasoline prices.

Condemnation of US decision
On the other hand, Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesman Abbas Mousavi condemned the US decision to impose sanctions on the Iranian Minister of Communications Javad Azeri Jahrami.

He said in a statement that Washington does not respect the origins of democracy and Internet freedom, and is dealing with this duplication.

Mousavi added that the history of the United States in pressuring social networking companies to silence the voices of dissidents is the best proof of its true policy regarding Internet freedom.

The US administration has included the Iranian Minister of Communications on the list of sanctions after the disconnection of the Internet service in Iran.

Put down the protests
With regard to the days of protests; Iranian officials said on Saturday that Iranian forces and members of the Revolutionary Guards helped police to quell violent unrest in the province of Kermanshah a few days ago, and accused "US agents" of falling into the armed protesters.

Amnesty International says at least 30 people have been killed in the western province, making it the hardest hit by protests over the past few days over rising gasoline prices and more than 100 deaths nationwide, according to Amnesty International. Iran calls it "mere speculation."

The violence appears to be the worst, at least since Iran put down the “green revolution” in 2009, when dozens of protesters were killed over several months.

"All the Revolutionary Guards, the Basij (paramilitary), the Ministry of Intelligence, the police and the army have been actively involved in controlling the situation," Parviz Tuslizadeh, head of the Kermanshah judiciary, was quoted as saying by the semi-official Fars news agency.

Tuslizade said the rioters were armed and "confronted (security) elements ... and burned public property," it said.

"Rioters follow anti-revolutionary groups (opposition abroad) and US intelligence services," the semi-official Tasnim news agency quoted Bahman Rehani, commander of the Revolutionary Guards in Kermanshah, as saying.

Protests erupted in several parts of the country on November 15 after the government announced a rise in gasoline prices by at least 50%, and spread to 100 cities and towns where protesters demanded the removal of senior state officials.

State television broadcast footage of thousands of pro-government rallies in several cities on Saturday.