Iran builds up police presence ahead of US sanctions

Iran is heavily building up its riot police presence ahead of the US reimposing sanctions on Tehran on Tuesday, according to journalists on the ground.

One armoured personnel carrier was also seen in the town of Karaj, just west of Tehran, which has been the focal point of recent unrest.

Internet was also cut off in the area - part of a concerted effort to curtail reporting on discontent there.

The reimposition of sactions on Iran follows US President Donald Trump's decision in May to withdraw from the 2015 nuclear accord, a move which drew international criticism at the time.

The fear of impending US sanctions has already fuelled a run on Iran's rial, which has lost more than half its value since April and is now trading at 119,000 to the US dollar compared to an official rate of 42,000.

Protests have continued in recent days across multiple towns and cities in Iran amid economic troubles. They follow widespread protests in late December and early January.

Rouhani is due to give a televised address to the nation at 9:40pm (6:15pm London time) on Monday to outline plans for tackling the currency decline and impact of sanctions. 

On Sunday, Iranian authorities announced the arrest of the vice-governor of the central bank in charge of foreign exchange, Ahmad Araghchi, along with a government clerk and four currency brokers in a move to calm unrest. 

Meanwhile, US President Donald Trump has said he wants a new deal with Iran that goes beyond curbing its nuclear programme and ends its "malign influence" in the region. 

Despite months of fierce rhetoric, Trump last week offered to meet with Iran's President Hassan Rouhani without preconditions. 

That came only a few days after a bellicose exchange between the two presidents, with Rouhani warning of the "mother of all wars" and Trump responding with a Twitter tirade against Iran's "DEMENTED WORDS OF VIOLENCE".

Rouhani has publicly rejected US overtures for a meeting.
 

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