Iran escalates threats against protesters as demonstrations continue

On Jan. 10, 2026, Iran’s attorney general Mohammad Movahedi Azad announced that participants in the country’s ongoing protests would be deemed “enemies of God” and face death‑penalty charges. The demonstrations, which began Dec. 28 over the rial’s collapse and now spread nationwide, have already left at least 65 people dead and more than 2,300 arrested. Tehran’s internet blackout and phone line cuts have hampered international monitoring. Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei warned of a heavy clampdown while the U.S. and Canada condemned the killings and called for an end to violence. The protests mark a rare, nationwide challenge to Iran’s hard‑line regime.