Iran Remains Tense As Protest Death Toll Crosses 3,000

In Iran, the death toll from the country’s crackdown on protests has risen to 3,090, even as the country shows signs of returning to normalcy. Streets in Tehran appear calm and shops have reopened, but a week-long internet blackout has taken place.

 

Amid the uneasy calm, a hard-line cleric, Ayatollah Ahmad Khatami, called for the death penalty for detained protesters and threatened U.S. President Donald Trump. However, Trump thanked Iranian leaders for



cancelling hundreds of executions.

 

Meanwhile, Exiled Crown Prince Reza Pahlavi urged Iranians to continue protesting and promised to return to Iran if the regime falls.

 

Protests in Iran began on December 28 over the struggling economy, soaring inflation and the collapse of Iran’s currency. Authorities reported damage to 350 mosques, 126 prayer halls, 400 hospitals, 106 ambulances, and 71 fire vehicles, showing widespread destruction.