Iran says 300 people jailed over riots

TEHRAN, Jan. 30 (Xinhua) -- Nearly 300 people are in custody over charges of involvement in the recent riots in the country, Iran's Interior Minister Abdolreza Rahmani Fazli said on Tuesday.

The judiciary is handling their cases, Rahmani Fazli said, adding that no university student is being held in custody in connection with the riots, Iran Daily reported.

Earlier this month, Iranian Police Commander Brigadier General Hossein Ashtari said his forces had released many of those arrested and will investigate their cases in the future.

Late in December 2017, at least 20 people were killed, dozens were injured and hundreds were arrested as protests against the government's economic policies, including looming price hikes turned violent in major cities across Iran.

Iran blamed the United States, Britain and Saudi Arabia for inciting the violence in those protests. Enditem