No sign of new protests in Iran as a hard-line cleric calls for executions
NPR • • nation
Key Points:
- Iran has returned to a tense calm following protests that began on December 28 over economic issues and escalated into anti-theocracy demonstrations, with a harsh crackdown reportedly killing thousands and an ongoing internet blackout persisting in Tehran.
- Hard-line cleric Ayatollah Ahmad Khatami called for the death penalty for detained protesters and threatened U.S. President Trump and Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu, reflecting the regime's anger amid efforts to suppress dissent.
- President Trump acknowledged Iran's decision not to execute hundreds of protesters, signaling a possible retreat from military intervention despite earlier red lines concerning executions and violence against peaceful demonstrators.
- Iran's exiled Crown Prince Reza Pahlavi urged continued protests and expressed belief in U.S. support, while regional diplomats
