Iran police chief says 6,000 people arrested so far over January protests

Iranian authorities have arrested 6,000 people so far over their alleged involvement in anti-government protests and unrest in January, the country’s police chief said on Monday.

In remarks aired by state broadcaster IRIB, Ahmadreza Radan said the detainees were involved in an attempted coup and accused them of assisting countries hostile to Iran during the unrest on January 8-9.

“We will not release these people, except those who express regret and repent,” he said.

The protests began on December 28, 2025, at Tehran’s Grand Bazaar amid a sharp depreciation of the Iranian rial and worsening economic conditions before spreading to several cities across the country.

The demonstrations intensified on January 8-9, with Iranian authorities saying some of the protests turned violent and involved attacks on security forces as well as public and private property.

Read: Iran arrests dozens accused of sharing information with Israel

Authorities have accused the US and Israel of supporting the unrest, allegations rejected by Washington and Tel Aviv.

They said the unrest caused extensive damage to public and private property, including government buildings, banks, police stations, schools, mosques, homes, and vehicles.

In a related move, Iran’s judiciary said authorities seized 240 properties and other assets belonging to people accused of acting against the country or supporting hostile governments, including individuals living abroad. As many as 182 bank accounts have also been frozen.

The judiciary said the measures targeted people accused of activities including propaganda against Iran and cooperation with Israel and other countries Tehran considers hostile.

Iranian authorities have put the death toll from the January unrest at 3,117, including civilians and security personnel, while rights groups have reported higher figures.