A senior Iranian cleric has called for the death penalty for protesters detained during a nationwide crackdown, as unrest continues against Iran’s Islamic government.
Ayatollah Ahmad Khatami made the remarks during a sermon broadcast on Iranian state radio. According to The Associated Press, the speech drew chants from worshippers, including: “Armed hypocrites should be put to death!”
During the sermon, Khatami also shared what the AP described as the first broad damage figures tied to the protests, which began in late December. The details offered a rare snapshot of the turmoil’s scale after authorities imposed a nationwide internet blackout on Jan. 8.
Khatami claimed that 350 mosques, 126 prayer halls and 20 other religious sites were damaged, the AP reported. He also said 400 hospitals, 106 ambulances, 71 fire department vehicles and 50 additional emergency vehicles sustained damage.
The AP also reported that 80 homes belonging to Friday prayer leaders were damaged—potentially reflecting public anger toward officials who hold influential roles within Iran’s religious and political system.
“They want you to withdraw from religion,” Khatami said, according to the AP. “They planned these crimes from a long time ago.”
Khatami—appointed by Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei and a member of Iran’s Assembly of Experts and Guardian Council—has previously condemned protesters, describing them as “butlers” of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and “Trump’s soldiers.”
Khamenei has echoed similar accusations, saying protesters were “ruining their own streets to make the president of another country happy,” a reference to President Donald Trump.
Trump has repeatedly voiced support for Iranian protesters and warned of U.S. intervention if authorities used violence against demonstrators. It remains unclear whether the U.S. will take concrete action, though speculation has persisted following the 2025 bombing of Iran’s nuclear sites and the U.S. capture of Venezuelan leader Nicolás Maduro.
