Protests erupted amid a communications blackout. But as video and witness accounts trickle out, the brutality of the regime’s crackdown is becoming clear.
President Trump said the United States was “watching Iran” and sending a naval force there, despite also saying that his threats had halted executions.
Witness testimony and videos from Tehran’s largest cemetery show disrespectful treatment of the dead after a brutal government crackdown.
After a crackdown that killed thousands, Iran’s prosecutor general said on Wednesday that “the sedition is over now,” vowing to punish those responsible for the protests.
“There is massive disappointment and disillusionment,” one Tehran resident said. A human rights group acknowledged that demonstrations had been subdued since Sunday, with thousands of people detained.
Iran’s representative denied the country had killed protesters, as the U.S. ambassador said President Trump had made clear “all options are on the table” to stop the killing.
Iran’s judiciary said there was no death penalty issued for Erfan Soltani, whose case drew international outcry. Analysts say the government is using fear and intimidation to keep people off the streets.
Iran had planned to put a 26-year-old protester to death amid the wave of unrest in the country, but apparently stood down for now.
“HELP IS ON ITS WAY,” President Trump said on social media. He has threatened to intervene militarily on behalf of the protesters if Iran uses lethal force.
If President Trump follows through, some of Iran’s biggest trading partners, including China and India, could be hit hard.