An Iranian religious leader has demanded the death penalty for protesters arrested during a countrywide crackdown amid continuing unrest against the Islamic regime.
The cleric’s demands come after the U.S. President’s threats of intervention if protesters faced violence.
Ayatollah Ahmad Khatami’s sermon, broadcast on Iranian state radio, reportedly prompted chants from those gathered for prayers. The Associated Press noted that the chants included: “Put armed hypocrites to death!”
During his sermon, Khatami presented the first comprehensive statistics on damage from the unrest—which began in late December—per the AP. This information offers insight into the scale of the protests following the regime’s implementation of a [missing term] on Jan. 8.
Per the AP, the cleric claimed 350 mosques, 126 prayer halls, and 20 other sacred sites had sustained damage. Khatami also alleged that 400 hospitals, 106 ambulances, 71 fire department vehicles, and an additional 50 emergency vehicles were damaged.
Another 80 homes of Friday prayer leaders were reportedly damaged, the AP said, adding this could signal demonstrators venting frustrations at the government—since these leaders hold key roles in Iran’s theocracy.
“They want you to abandon your faith,” Khatami stated, according to the AP. “These crimes were planned long ago.”
Khatami—appointed by Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah [missing name] and serving on the country’s Assembly of Experts and Guardian Council—had previously criticized protesters. He described them as “butlers” of the Israeli Prime Minister [missing name] and “Trump’s soldiers.”
Khamenei made similar comments, saying protesters were “ruining their own streets to make another country’s president happy,” referring to Trump.
Trump has been outspoken in supporting the Iranian people and early on said the U.S. was “locked and loaded” and ready to intervene if the regime used violence against protesters. It remains unclear if or when the U.S. will take concrete action in Iran, but speculation has circulated following the 2025 bombing of the country’s nuclear sites and the U.S. capture of a Venezuelan dictator [missing name].
[Missing name] Digital reached out to the White House and State Department for comment.