DUBAI, January 21. /TASS/. Iran's armed forces are currently on full combat alert, said Ahmad Vahidi, the deputy commander of the elite Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps.

"The capabilities of the armed forces [of the Islamic Republic] are outstanding, and they are at maximum readiness," the Tasnim news agency quoted him as saying.

Protests in Iran began on December 29, triggered by a sharp decline in the value of the rial, and quickly spread to most major cities. On January 8, Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi stated that suspected armed terrorists had emerged among the demonstrators.

Tehran has blamed Israel and the United States for orchestrating the unrest. Earlier, US President Donald Trump warned that he is seriously considering the use of force against the Islamic Republic. On January 14, Araghchi assured that the people of Iran are determined to defend the country from any external threat.