No sign of new protests in Iran as a hard-line cleric calls for executions and threatens Trump

As Iran returned to uneasy calm after a wave of protests that drew a bloody crackdown, a senior hard-line cleric called for the death penalty for detained demonstrators and directly threatened U.S. President Donald Trump — evidence of the rage gripping authorities in the Islamic Republic. Trump thanked Iran's leaders for not executing hundreds of detained protesters and said 'it's time to look for new leadership in Iran' after being read posts by Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei. Rights groups (HRANA, Iran Human Rights) report thousands of deaths (reports range around 3,000–3,900) and over 22,000 arrests; these figures have not been independently verified by wire services. An internet blackout continues, hindering verification. Ayatollah Ahmad Khatami said protesters were 'butlers' of Netanyahu and 'Trump’s soldiers' and urged 'hard revenge.' Authorities claimed damage to mosques, prayer halls, hospitals, ambulances and other infrastructure. Exiled opposition figure Reza Pahlavi urged renewed protests and vowed to return; the Kurdish separatist group PAK in Iraq reported attacks on IRGC forces in retaliation for Tehran's crackdown. Thousands of exiled Iranians protested across Europe; some Iranians crossed into Turkey to skirt the communications blackout. International actors including Russia have engaged diplomatically to defuse tensions. The situation remains volatile with potential for further domestic repression and international escalation.