The Door of a Mosque in Tehran Set on Fire; 'Perpetrators Arrested'

The commander of the Greater Tehran Police announced that the arson of a mosque door in Tehran and attacks on several banks were carried out by a group of youths 'influenced by social media and satellite channels.' He also reported that those responsible for the arson of the mosque door have been arrested. The Young Journalists Club website, affiliated with state television, published a video on Tuesday, October 10, showing the burning of the 'Javad al-Aimah' mosque door on Independence Boulevard in eastern Tehran. In the video, a young man writes the phrase 'Restart' in front of the mosque door and then sets it on fire. According to ILNA news agency, Hossein Rahimi, the head of Greater Tehran Police, also announced the arrest of those involved in the arson of the Javad al-Aimah mosque door while denying rumors of a connection between the arrested individuals and what has been termed 'Satanic groups.' General Rahimi added that 'the arrested individuals acted under the influence and training of certain foreign satellite programs and channels.' He continued by stating that the attack on this mosque, similar to the recent attacks on several banks, was carried out by 'a group of youths' and 'under the influence of social media.' On Tuesday, Mr. Rahimi also announced that the attacks on several banks were 'under the influence of the suggestions of a satellite network.' On Sunday, June 6, he had also announced that five people involved in the attacks on several banks had been arrested. The head of Greater Tehran Police stated that these actions are 'not security-related.' In recent days, videos of the breaking of windows of several banks and attacks on several ATMs have been circulated on social media. In these videos, the attackers claim they are acting at the invitation of Mohammad Hosseini. Mohammad Hosseini, a former presenter of Iranian state television programs and comedian who has lived abroad for several years, has formed a campaign called 'Restart' calling for attacks on centers such as banks, mosques, and Basij bases. He has stated that the goal of these actions is to attempt to change the regime of the Islamic Republic.