'Americans and Zionists should not expect peace': Iranian cleric threatens Trump, calls for executions of protesters

A hard-line Iranian cleric has issued one of the sharpest public warnings yet to the United States and Israel since nationwide protests erupted across Iran, openly threatening US President Donald Trump and demanding the execution of detained protesters.

The remarks delivered during Friday prayers in Tehran underline the uncompromising mood gripping the Islamic Republic as authorities intensify their crackdown on dissent sparked by the country’s deepening economic crisis.

Ahmad Khatami, a senior cleric appointed by Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, used his sermon in Iran’s capital to call for the death penalty for protesters arrested during weeks of unrest. His speech, broadcast on state radio, prompted chants from worshippers including calls for the execution of what he described as “armed hypocrites.” The language marked an escalation in official rhetoric at a moment when tensions with Washington remain acute.

Khatami directly referenced Trump in his address, linking the protesters to foreign enemies and issuing an explicit warning. “Americans and Zionists should not expect peace,” he said, asserting that Israel and the United States were behind what he framed as an attempt to destabilise Iran’s political system. He described demonstrators as “Trump’s soldiers” and “butlers” of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, alleging that they sought to “disintegrate the country.” According to Khatami, both leaders should now “wait for hard revenge from the system.”

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The comments came even as executions and the killing of peaceful protesters have been cited by Trump as red lines that could trigger US military action. Khatami’s demands, therefore, appear to challenge Washington directly at a time of heightened regional tensions.

The protests, which began on December 28, were initially driven by anger over Iran’s worsening economy, including rising prices and unemployment. However, the demonstrations quickly widened into a broader challenge to the Islamic Republic’s clerical leadership. Crowds in multiple cities openly criticised the country’s theocratic system, prompting a forceful response from security forces.

Iranian authorities moved to sharply restrict information as unrest spread. On January 8, access to the internet was cut nationwide, and security operations intensified. According to the US-based Human Rights Activists News Agency, at least 2,677 people have been killed during the crackdown. Iranian officials have not released any comprehensive casualty figures, and the Associated Press has said it is unable to independently verify the reported death toll.

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Khatami’s sermon also offered the first nationwide assessment by an Iranian official of the physical damage caused during the unrest. He claimed that protesters had damaged 350 mosques, 126 prayer halls and 20 other religious sites across the country. In addition, he said around 80 homes belonging to Friday prayer leaders had been attacked. Those clerics occupy influential positions within Iran’s political structure, and the damage to their properties suggests the depth of public anger towards symbols of state authority.

As a member of both Iran’s Assembly of Experts and its powerful Guardian Council, Khatami holds significant influence within the system. His remarks therefore carry weight beyond fiery rhetoric, reflecting the hard-line faction’s insistence that the unrest is the result of foreign interference rather than domestic discontent.

The framing of protests as externally driven plots has been a consistent theme in official statements, but critics argue that it sidesteps the economic grievances and political frustrations voiced by demonstrators. Calls for executions, however, indicate that the authorities intend to pursue a punitive approach rather than address underlying causes.

Khatami’s warning to the United States and Israel adds another layer of uncertainty to an already volatile situation. While Iran seeks to project resolve domestically, the threat of harsher measures against protesters risks further international isolation at a time when scrutiny of the country’s human rights record is intensifying. For now, the cleric’s declaration signals that confrontation both at home and abroad remains the prevailing posture of Iran’s leadership as the crisis continues.

With inputs from agencies