Extremist Iranian Cleric: Trump Should Expect 'Hard Revenge'

A hardline cleric leading Friday prayers in Iran's capital demanded the death penalty for protesters detained in a nationwide crackdown and directly threatened President Trump, showing the rage gripping authorities in the Islamic Republic over demonstrations that have challenged their authority. Ayatollah Ahmad Khatami's sermon, carried by Iranian state radio, sparked chants from those gathered for prayers, including, "Armed hypocrites should be put to death!" Executions, as well as the killing of peaceful protesters, are two of the red lines laid down by Trump for possible military action against Iran over the protests, which began Dec. 28 over Iran's ailing economy and soon morphed into protests directly challenging the country's theocracy, per the AP.

Iranian authorities cut off access to the internet on Jan. 8 and intensified a bloody crackdown on all dissent, which the US-based Human Rights Activists News Agency reports has killed at least 2,677 people. Khatami, appointed by Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei and a member of both the country's Assembly of Experts and its Guardian Council, described the protesters as the "butlers" of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and "Trump's soldiers." He insisted their plans "imagined disintegrating the country." "They should wait for hard revenge from the system," Khatami said of Netanyahu and Trump. "Americans and Zionists should not expect peace."

Khatami has long been known for his hardline views in Iran, including in 2007, when he said a fatwa calling for the death of writer Salman Rushdie remained in effect. He also threatened Israel in a 2018 speech by saying Iran could "raze Tel Aviv and Haifa to the ground" with its missile arsenal. His fiery speech came as allies of Iran and the United States alike sought to defuse tensions. Russian President Vladimir Putin spoke Friday to both Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian and Israel's Netanyahu, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said, adding that "the situation in the region is quite tense, and the president is continuing his efforts to help deescalate it." More here.