Iranian judiciary spokesman Asghar Jahangir promised on Sunday harsh punishments for those who incited violence in the protests that have rocked the country in recent weeks. “The judiciary will severely punish all those who incited violence with sentences that will make them regret their actions,” Jahangir said at a press conference in Tehran. The source indicated that cases have already been opened against individuals who led the demonstrations. The protests began in late December by Tehran merchants over the rial's collapse and soon spread throughout the country, calling for the end of the Islamic Republic. They reached their peak on Thursday, January 8, and Friday, January 9, with an explosion of demonstrations across virtually all of Iran. Meanwhile, the state broadcaster IRIB News released statements from another spokesperson, who said that no death sentences have yet been issued for the protests, and assured that the process will be “rigorous and lengthy,” potentially lasting months or years. He also asserted that those involved in the demonstrations were “mercenaries” linked to the intelligence agencies of the United States and Israel.

Separating Instigators

The spokesman indicated that the judicial authorities are seeking to distinguish between those who were deceived into attending the demonstrations and those who instigated them, and that there will only be severe punishments when sufficient evidence has been gathered to support the convictions. Part of the official Iranian narrative is to attribute the displays of unrest in the country to the interference of external powers.

Tehran prosecutor Ali Salehi had already stated on Saturday that the Iranian judiciary's response would be “firm, dissuasive, and swift” and rejected US President Donald Trump's claims about the alleged suspension of executions of protesters. Meanwhile, Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei also asserted on Saturday that "we will not leave the domestic and international criminals of the US plot unpunished" and stressed that "the United States must be held accountable."Iran's top religious authority blamed Trump for the deaths of "several thousand people" in the protests. An anonymous source quoted by Reuters on Sunday said the death toll could exceed 5,000.

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