Iran has dramatically escalated its response to nationwide anti-government protests, with top officials threatening participants with charges that carry the death penalty. The unrest, now entering its third week, has seen a severe government crackdown resulting in significant casualties and mass arrests, all while the country remains largely cut off from the global internet.
Death Penalty Warning and Escalating Crackdown
In a stark warning that signals a harsher phase of repression, Iran's Attorney General, Mohammad Movahedi Azad, stated that anyone involved in the demonstrations would be considered an "enemy of God." Under Iranian law, this is a charge punishable by death. The warning, broadcast on state television, extended even to those accused of "helping rioters."
The statement directed prosecutors to act swiftly and without leniency, urging them to "prepare the grounds for the trial and decisive confrontation" with those seen as betraying the nation. This rhetoric aligns with earlier signals from Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei and other senior officials that a forceful nationwide crackdown was imminent.
Rising Toll and Information Blackout
Assessing the true scale of the protests and the government's response has become exceedingly difficult due to a near-total internet shutdown and restrictions on international phone lines. Despite this information blockade, the US-based Human Rights Activists News Agency reports that at least 72 people have been killed and more than 2,300 individuals have been detained since the demonstrations began on December 28.
Iranian state media, in contrast, has focused on reporting casualties among security forces. State TV claimed that protesters killed three members of the Basij volunteer force in Gachsaran, a security official was stabbed in Hamadan, and police officers were killed in Bandar Abbas and Gilan.
Protests Persist Despite State Claims of Calm
While state television anchors reported that "peace prevailed in most cities" and claimed there was "no news of any gathering or chaos in Tehran," verified evidence tells a different story. The Associated Press confirmed online video showing thousands of demonstrators in Tehran's Saadat Abad area, where chants of "Death to Khamenei!" could be heard.
The protests, initially sparked by the collapse of the Iranian rial and a dire economic crisis, have evolved into a direct challenge to the country's theocratic system. Calls for continued demonstrations have circulated, with Iran's exiled crown prince, Reza Pahlavi, urging people to protest over the weekend and carry national symbols.
The international fallout is growing. US Secretary of State Marco Rubio voiced support for the "brave people of Iran." Meanwhile, travel disruptions have begun, with Austrian Airlines suspending flights to Iran and Turkish Airlines cancelling multiple flights to Iranian cities, indicating rising international concern over the stability and security situation within the country.
