LOC21:35
18:35 GMT
TEHRAN, Dec 31 (KUNA) -- The Iranian authorities have interrupted mobile phone access to Instagram and the messaging app Telegram amid protests staged against government, an Iranian source said on Sunday.
Restrictions were made on access to applications of Telegram and Instagram, the source was quoted by Iran's Fars News Agency as saying.
It added that the move was taken on supreme security levels in the country.
Meanwhile, assistant interior minister for political affairs confirmed in a news conference that the government normally imposes restrictions on social networking websites when public order is harmed.
Some Iranian cities have been witnessing protests and demonstrations against the government's economic policies.
In a related context, Iran's prosecutor general Abbas Dulatabadi on Sunday confirmed the arrest of a number of "rioters" who attacked public property and damaged public fund.
During investigations, the rioters confessed that they torched mosques and public places, he was quoted by the agency as saying, adding that such vandalism acts is evidence that there are foreign interferences in these incidents.
He called for pursuing a person abroad who incites people at home to commit vandalism acts and damage public properties.
He expressed his hope that the Interpol would help arrest this person as soon as possible.
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