IRAN JUDICIARY CHIEF PROMISES ‘DECISIVE’ PUNISHMENT FOR PROTESTERS. (PHOTO).

Iran judiciary chief promises ‘decisive’ punishment for protesters

 Iran’s top leadership signaled Friday that security forces would crack down on ongoing protests, directly challenging U.S. President Donald Trump’s repeated pledges to support peaceful demonstrators. Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei denounced Trump as having “hands stained with the blood of Iranians” while supporters in Tehran shouted “Death to America!” Footage broadcast by state media labeled protesters as “terrorists,” setting the stage for a potentially violent response similar to past nationwide demonstrations. Khamenei accused demonstrators of destroying their own streets “to please the president of the United States” and urged him to focus on domestic issues instead.

Meanwhile, Iran’s judiciary chief, Gholamhossein Mohseni-Ejei, vowed that any punishment for protesters “will be decisive, maximum and without any legal leniency.” Despite a widespread internet and phone blackout, videos circulated online showing Iranians chanting anti-government slogans around bonfires and debris in Tehran and other cities. State media claimed “terrorist agents” from the U.S. and Israel were behind the unrest and reported casualties without providing numbers. The protests, initially sparked by Iran’s struggling economy, have evolved into the most significant challenge to the government in years, with at least 42 people killed and over 2,270 detained. The demonstrations also marked the first major test of exiled Crown Prince Reza Pahlavi’s influence, who called for nightly protests at 8 p.m., drawing thousands into the streets despite harsh government measures. Pahlavi urged European leaders and the U.S. to hold Iran’s regime accountable and restore communication for Iranian citizens, warning that the government’s blackout aims to silence protesters while enabling security forces to act unchecked. Demonstrators have shouted slogans against the Islamic Republic, called for the return of the Shah, and vowed to continue resisting the government’s rule.