Iranian state-organised marchers call for execution of protesters - Reuters

Iranians have staged mass protests over the case of Mahsa Amini, 22, who died last week after being arrested by the morality police for wearing "unsuitable attire".WANA (West Asia News Agency) via REUTERS.

The pro-government marches followed the strongest warning yet from authorities when the army said it would confront "the enemies" behind the unrest - a move that could signal the kind of crackdown that has crushed protests in the past.

The crowds condemned the anti-government protesters as "Israel's soldiers", live state television coverage showed.

The Twitter account 1500tasvir, which has 117,000 followers, reported heavy clashes in the central city of Isfahan between anti-government protesters and security forces.

It also showed anti-government street protests in several parts of the capital and in Shahin Shahr in central Iran.

The morality police, attached to Iran's law enforcement, are tasked with ensuring the respect of Islamic morals as described by the country's clerical authorities.

The anti-government protests are not expected to pose an immediate threat to Iran's clerical rulers, who have security forces which have put down one protest after another in recent years, analysts say.

The military said it would "confront the enemies' various plots in order to ensure security and peace for the people who are being unjustly assaulted".

"The people's presence (in the marches) today, is the power and the honour of the Islamic Republic," Raisi, facing the biggest protests since 2019, said on live television after returning from New York where he attended the United Nations General Assembly.

Rights groups such as Hengaw and HRANA, lawyers and social media users reported widespread arrests of students and activists at their homes by security forces in an apparent effort to curb protests.