Tehran/Washington: Protests in Iran continue to intensify with no signs of compromise from the government, even as demonstrators escalate their agitation across the country. Iranian authorities have launched a sweeping crackdown, carrying out widespread arrests to suppress the unrest. At one stage, the government considered imposing the death penalty on nearly 800 detained protesters, a move that sparked international concern.
The plan was later dropped, reportedly following strong warnings from US President Donald Trump. US White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt said Iran withdrew the decision after President Trump cautioned that severe consequences would follow if protesters were brutally suppressed, including the possibility of military action. She added that the US President is closely monitoring developments in Iran and may take further decisions if required, though any immediate military strike has been postponed.
Meanwhile, Iran has reopened its airspace after temporarily shutting it amid rising tensions with the United States. The move comes as both sides signal de-escalation, with President Trump clarifying that the US has no intention of launching an attack on Iran at present. Following the reopening, US forces reportedly returned to an airbase in Qatar, indicating a partial easing of regional tensions.
Earlier, Iran had announced the closure of its airspace, allowing only flights with special clearance to operate to and from the country. A NOTAM (Notice to Airmen) was issued to formalise the restrictions, while flight-tracking websites had shown Iranian and Iraqi airspace largely cleared of civilian aircraft even before the official notification.