Economics

Iran Warns Protesters of Death Penalty as Crackdown Grows

Burning debris lies next to an overturned dumpster in the middle of a street amid demonstrations in Hamedan, Iran, on Jan. 1.Photographer: Mobina/AFP/Getty Images

Iranian officials intensified a crackdown on protests across the country, blocking the internet and threatening participants with the death penalty amid expectations of further unrest on Friday night.

Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei said the Islamic Republic won’t tolerate “vandalism” or “people acting as mercenaries for foreign powers,” state-run Press TV reported.