116 killed as Iran signals intensified crackdown, warns protestors of death penalty: What to know
Iran's attorney general, Mohammad Movahedi Azad, has threatened a death penalty charge to all those participating in the nationwide protests.
Iranians protest against Khamenei: Two weeks into one of the biggest protests in Iran, the Ayatollah Khamanei-led regime has reportedly warned of an even bigger crackdown against demonstrators.
The country's attorney general, Mohammad Movahedi Azad, threatened people with a death penalty charge, saying all those participating in the protests would be considered an 'enemy of God'. In Iran, the said offence is punishable by death under Islamic law, a Bloomberg report said.
While it is difficult to gauge the situation in Iran, given the internet blackout cutting Iranians off the international online services, news agency AP reported on Sunday that at least 116 people have died and over 2,600 have been detained amid the ongoing protests so far.
Here's the latest on what's happening in Iran:
Protests take over Iranian cities: The ongoing protests are not just limited to one place, but have intensified across cities in Iran. According to Bloomberg, several fatalities during the protests were identified in Chaharmahal and Bakhtiari, Ilam, Kermanshah, and Fars. Besides, several protestors were reportedly killed in Tehran, where protests against Iran's currency crisis and worsening living conditions first broke out last month.
Death penalty to all detainees? With over 2,600 people reportedly detained amid massive protests in Iran, the country's attorney general has issued a big warning, saying all the detainees will be charged as an “enemy of God”, an offence considered for death penalty in the Islamic nation.
How many dead in Iran so far? There is so far no official confirmation from the Iranian regime on the number of deaths during the protests, and the internet cut in Iran has made it difficult for the world to know what is happening on the ground. However, a latest report by AP cited a US-based human rights body and reported that at least 116 people have been killed since protests began on December 28.
Trump is ‘ready to help’: US President Donald Trump dropped a big hint on the country's plans to intervene as protests rage in Iran. "Iran is looking at FREEDOM, perhaps like never before. The USA stands ready to help!!!" Trump said in a post on Truth Social. His remarks came after Iran's supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei accused Trump of having his “hands stained with the blood” of Iranians. Earlier during a Fox News interview, Trump had suggested that Khamenei may be looking to flee Iran.
Internet blackout continues: Internet suspension continues to remain in place in Iran for nearly three days now, making it difficult for residents to get in touch with their loves ones. Some state-owned and semiofficial media are reportedly still allowed to function, but the internet cut is making it difficult to fully assess what is happening in Iran.
Why the protests intensified? The protests in Iran intensified on Friday following a call by Reza Pahlvi, Iran's exiled crown prince, to take to the streets and claim spaces. Pahlvi is the son of Iran's deposed shah, Mohammad Reza Pahlavi. "Our goal is no longer just to take to the streets. The goal is to prepare to seize and hold city centres," Pahlavi recently said in a video message on social media.
