Iran appeared to have slipped back into a tense calm following weeks of unrest that ended in a violent government crackdown. On Friday, a senior conservative cleric called for the execution of detained protesters and openly threatened U.S. President Donald Trump, underscoring the anger and anxiety gripping Iran’s leadership.
At the same time, Trump adopted a more measured tone, expressing appreciation toward Iranian officials for refraining from executing hundreds of detainees. His comments suggested a possible step back from military action. Trump has previously warned that executions and the killing of peaceful demonstrators would cross U.S. “red lines.”
The harsh suppression of protests—reportedly leaving thousands dead—appears to have halted demonstrations that began on Dec. 28 over economic grievances and later evolved into direct challenges to Iran’s ruling system.
In Tehran, daily life seemed to return to the surface-level normalcy, with shops open and streets busy, although an internet shutdown that began a week earlier remained in effect. Authorities reported no new unrest elsewhere in the country.
“Iran canceled the hanging of more than 800 people,” Trump told reporters in Washington, saying he respected the decision. He did not specify who in Iran had confirmed this information.
The U.S.-based Human Rights Activists News Agency reported a death toll of 3,090 as of Friday—higher than any previous unrest in Iran in decades and reminiscent of the turmoil surrounding the 1979 revolution. While the figure could not be independently verified by the AP, the organization has historically relied on a credible network of activists inside Iran. The Iranian government has released no official casualty numbers.
Hard-line cleric delivers incendiary sermon
State radio broadcast a sermon by Ayatollah Ahmad Khatami that drew chants such as “Armed hypocrites should be executed!” from worshippers. Khatami, a member of both the Assembly of Experts and the Guardian Council, labeled protesters as agents of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and “soldiers of Trump.”
He warned that both Netanyahu and Trump should expect severe retaliation, declaring that “Americans and Zionists should not expect peace.”
His remarks came as international efforts sought to ease tensions. Russian President Vladimir Putin spoke separately with Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian and Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu, according to the Kremlin. Russia, previously quiet about the protests, has been strained by its prolonged war in Ukraine and recent setbacks involving key allies.
Exiled royal urges protests to continue
Although Trump had earlier promised that “help is on its way,” both protests and the likelihood of U.S. military action appeared to fade. A diplomat told the AP that officials from Egypt, Oman, Saudi Arabia, and Qatar warned Trump that military intervention could destabilize the region and harm the global economy.
Iran’s exiled Crown Prince Reza Pahlavi urged the U.S. to follow through on its promises. Speaking in Washington, he said he still trusted Trump’s commitment and insisted that Iranians must continue their struggle regardless of foreign intervention.
“I will return to Iran,” Pahlavi said, later calling on protesters to resume demonstrations from Saturday through Monday.
Despite limited support inside Iran, Pahlavi continues to position himself as a potential transitional leader should the government collapse.
Authorities detail damage from unrest
Khatami also released the first official estimates of damage caused during the protests, claiming that hundreds of mosques, prayer halls, hospitals, ambulances, and emergency vehicles were damaged, along with dozens of homes belonging to Friday prayer leaders—figures that highlight public anger toward state institutions.
While protests inside Iran appear to have subsided, large demonstrations by exiled Iranians and supporters have taken place across Europe.
Due to the internet shutdown, some Iranians crossed borders to communicate with the outside world. At Turkey’s Van province border, travelers said they were leaving Iran temporarily to bypass the blackout.
“I’ll return once the internet is restored,” said Mehdi, who withheld his last name for security reasons.
Exiled crown prince urges world support to topple Iran government
Some Turkish citizens also fled the unrest. Mehmet Önder, a Turkish textile businessman, said he heard heavy gunfire while sheltering in Tehran. Based on his military experience, he said the weapons used were machine guns, not light firearms.
Adding to regional tensions, a Kurdish separatist group based in Iraq claimed responsibility for recent attacks on Iran’s Revolutionary Guard, saying the strikes were retaliation for Tehran’s violent crackdown and were carried out by its fighters operating inside Iran.