DUBAI, United Arab Emirates — A senior hard-line cleric leading Friday prayers in Iran’s capital called for the execution of protesters detained in a nationwide crackdown and issued a direct warning to U.S. President Donald Trump, underscoring the hardening stance of the Islamic Republic following weeks of unrest.
Ayatollah Ahmad Khatami, speaking in a sermon broadcast by Iranian state radio, drew chants from worshippers, including calls for the death of what he described as “armed hypocrites.” Executions and the killing of peaceful demonstrators have previously been cited by Trump as “red lines” that could prompt possible U.S. military action against Iran.
Khatami, who was appointed by Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei and serves on both the Assembly of Experts and the Guardian Council, accused protesters of acting as agents of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and “Trump’s soldiers,” alleging they sought to “disintegrate the country.”
“They should wait for hard revenge from the system,” Khatami said, referring to Netanyahu and Trump. “Americans and Zionists should not expect peace.”
The cleric also presented what he said were nationwide figures detailing damage caused during the demonstrations, which began on Dec. 28 over Iran’s struggling economy and later expanded into direct challenges to the country’s theocratic leadership.
According to Khatami, 350 mosques, 126 prayer halls, and 20 other holy sites were damaged, along with 80 homes belonging to Friday prayer leaders. He said the unrest also affected critical services, claiming damage to 400 hospitals, 106 ambulances, 71 fire department vehicles, and 50 other emergency vehicles.
Iran cut off internet access on Jan. 8 and intensified its crackdown on dissent. The U.S.-based Human Rights Activists News Agency reported that at least 2,677 people have been killed, though The Associated Press said it could not independently verify the figure and Iranian authorities have not released official casualty totals.
“They want you to withdraw from religion,” Khatami told the congregation. “They planned these crimes from a long time ago.”
Khatami, known for his uncompromising rhetoric, has previously drawn international attention, including a 2007 statement asserting that a fatwa calling for the death of author Salman Rushdie remained in effect, and a 2018 speech in which he threatened that Iran could “raze Tel Aviv and Haifa to the ground” with its missile arsenal.
In his latest remarks, he also urged the arrest of anyone he said had supported the protests “in any way,” signaling continued pressure on dissent as Iran’s leadership confronts one of its most significant internal challenges in years.
Si Venus L Peñaflor ay naging editor-in-chief ng Newsworld, isang lokal na pahayagan ng Laguna. Publisher din siya ng Daystar Gazette at Tutubi News Magazine. Siya ay isa ring pintor at doll face designer ng Ninay Dolls, ang unang Manikang Pilipino. Kasali siya sa DesignCrowd sa rank na #305 sa 640,000 graphic designers sa buong daigdig. Kasama din siya sa unang Local TV Broadcast sa Laguna na Beyond Manila. Aktibong kasapi siya ng San Pablo Jaycees Senate bilang isang JCI Senator.
- Venus L Peñaflor
- Venus L Peñaflor
- Venus L Peñaflor
- Venus L Peñaflor
