The nationwide protests in Iran appear to have subsided due to a severe crackdown by authorities, which has resulted in thousands of deaths and tens of thousands of arrests. Relative calm has returned to the streets of Tehran, a stark contrast to the previous weeks of intense confrontations between large crowds and security forces. This slowdown occurred shortly after U.S. President Donald Trump urged Iranians to continue protesting and suggested that help was forthcoming, even hinting at potential U.S. military strikes if the Iranian government continued to kill protesters.
However, Trump later indicated that Iran had halted executions, stating he had been informed of this development on good authority. The White House claimed that 800 scheduled executions had been stopped and warned of "grave consequences" if killings persisted, although all options were stated to remain on the table. The U.S. Ambassador to the UN echoed these sentiments, reaffirming U.S. support for the Iranian people. Conversely, Iran's deputy ambassador to the UN accused the U.S. of direct involvement in escalating unrest and attempting to destabilize the country under a humanitarian guise. Russia supported Iran's actions, while other UN members like France and Britain called for the release of detainees and respect for human rights.
According to the Human Rights Activists News Agency, at least 2,637 people have been killed in the protests, including a Red Crescent staffer. Despite the apparent reduction in protest activity, Iranian authorities have continued to target protesters, labeling them "terrorists" and maintaining a prolonged internet shutdown. Reports indicate a crackdown on devices like Starlink satellite dishes, limiting communication with the outside world. Rights groups have raised concerns about forced confessions, with state media airing footage of detainees, including interrogations led by the hardliner chief justice, Gholamhossein Mohseni Ejei. These confessions are being used to portray the protests as foreign-instigated.
The protests, which began on December 28th due to a sharp decline in the country's currency value, rapidly broadened to include demands for political reform and an end to the current regime, spreading across all 31 provinces and marking the most significant unrest in decades. Iran's president acknowledged the government's efforts to improve living conditions and address the root causes of the protests, vowing to combat corruption and price gouging to enhance purchasing power. The country's currency has depreciated significantly, and basic goods prices have soared. Analysts suggest that while systemic issues in Iran pose long-term challenges for the regime, state collapse is unlikely. International concerns were also raised by the G7, who expressed readiness to impose further restrictive measures on Iran for its handling of the protests.