Iran’s supreme leader vowed on Friday that the government would “not back down” in the face of protests that have rocked the country in recent weeks, as the country’s leadership threatened to escalate its crackdown on demonstrators.
“There are people whose job is only about destruction,” Ayatollah Ali Khamenei said in a televised speech in Tehran, the capital, as he accused the protesters of being vandals who were trying to “please” President Trump.
Hours later, Iran’s Supreme National Security Council said that “saboteurs” would be shown “no leniency.” It was one of several official statements on Friday that appeared to signal the government would heighten its repression of the uprisings, despite Mr. Trump’s pledge to aid protesters if they faced lethal force.
Ali Salehi, Tehran’s public prosecutor, said in comments carried by Iran’s state broadcaster that saboteurs, vandals and those involved in clashes with security forces could face death by hanging. “We will not compromise with armed terrorists,” he said.
Iran was plunged into an internet blackout on Thursday as demonstrations demanding the ouster of the government spread and grew in size. The protests began in late December over a currency crisis and spiraling inflation. But they have since spread and turned deadly.
