Iran's supreme leader has issued a stark warning to nationwide protesters, accusing them of trying to 'ruin' the country to please US President Donald Trump, as a Tehran prosecutor stated some demonstrators could face the death penalty.
Supreme Leader's Accusation and Trump's Warning
In a brief address, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei labelled those involved in the unrest as 'vandals and rioters' who were destroying their own streets to make the president of another country happy. He asserted that Tehran would not tolerate people acting as 'mercenaries for foreigners'.
The comments came as Donald Trump praised the protests, stating 'Iran's in big trouble'. During a White House briefing, the US President warned, 'if they start killing people like they have in the past, we will get involved', adding that America would hit the Iranian regime 'very, very hard where it hurts'.
Death Penalty Threat and Escalating Violence
Following the supreme leader's remarks, Tehran prosecutor Ali Salehi was quoted by the semi-official Tasnim news agency stating that some protesters could face execution. He said acts of vandalism targeting public property would be considered 'moharebeh', or 'waging war against God', a crime punishable by death.
'We will not show leniency toward armed terrorists,' Mr Salehi declared. Tasnim also reported that several police officers were shot dead by 'armed protesters'.
According to the US-based Human Rights Activists News Agency, the death toll from the violence has reached at least 62, with more than 2,300 people detained.
Nationwide Blackout and International Condemnation
Authorities imposed a severe nationwide internet blackout, also affecting international phone calls, starting late on Thursday and extending into Friday. This move largely cut Iran off from the outside world as state media blamed the protests on 'terrorist agents' from the US and Israel.
The demonstrations, which first began in Tehran last month triggered by a sharp slide in the value of the rial currency, have now spread to all 31 of Iran's provinces, representing the most significant challenge to the government in years.
The leaders of France, the UK, and Germany issued a joint statement strongly condemning the killing of protesters, while the UN's human rights agency said it was 'disturbed' by reports of violence. The exiled Crown Prince Reza Pahlavi, whose call for mass action preceded large protests on Thursday night, said the regime had cut all lines of communication in response to Iranians demanding their freedom.
