Tasnim� Iran�s Army Commander Major General Abdolrahim Mousavi expressed his gratitude to the people of the country, the Basij (mobilization) Force, and the Law Enforcement Force for their efforts to calm the recent unrest and put an end to riots in Iran.

In a statement released on Thursday, Major General Mousavi pointed to the recent riots in the country and said the Great Satan (the US) and the Zionist regime of Israel sent their stooges, the criminal members of the Mojahedin-e Khalq Organization (MKO), to Iran to disrupt �the exemplary security� of the Islamic Republic.

However, they faced defeat following the vigilant presence of the Iranian people on the political scene and with the power of the Law Enforcement Force, he said.

The commander further voiced his gratitude to the people from all walks of life as well as the Law Enforcement and Basij forces for their assistance to calm the protests.

Last week, a number of peaceful protests over economic problems broke out in several Iranian cities, but the gatherings turned violent when groups of participants, some of them armed, vandalized public property and launched attacks on police stations and government buildings.

Over a dozen people have been killed in the ensuing violence, according to media reports.

On Wednesday, Iranians from all walks of life took to the streets in several cities to condemn the violence.

The participants voiced support for the government and shouted slogans against the US and the Israeli regime for backing the riots.

Some Western and Arab media outlets tried to portray the recent protests as a political uprising against the Establishment.

Iranian officials maintain that people have the right to stage protests to express their opinions, as long as rallies comply with the legal conditions.

According to Article 27 of the Iranian Constitution, �public gatherings and marches are allowed so long as the participants do not carry arms and are not in violation of the fundamental principles of Islam.�