Tehran’s crackdown on protesters and minority groups has intensified as the regime faces mounting pressure both domestically and internationally.
Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian stated on Saturday that his country would not yield to pressure from global powers during ongoing nuclear talks with the United States.
“World powers are trying to force us into submission… but we will not submit, despite the challenges they are imposing on us,” Pezeshkian declared in a speech broadcast live on state TV.
His comments were made amid growing speculation over a potential US strike on Iranian soil, fueled by increasing amounts of naval and air forces being deployed to the region.
The United States military has moved dozens of fighter jets to a Jordanian air force base, according to satellite imagery and flight tracking data analyzed by The New York Times on Friday.
More than 60 jets were pictured parked on the Muwaffaq Salti base in central Jordan, which is three times more than the usual number of US attack aircraft present on the base, according to the Times.
On Thursday, US Senator Lindsey Graham said that planning was underway for a possible joint US-Israel attack on Iran. US President Donald Trump later added that the US was considering an initial limited strike on Iran to force Tehran to agree to his demands regarding a deal.
The Jerusalem Post reported on Wednesday that the US is likely to attack Iran eventually, but not necessarily in the coming days.
Protests against Islamic regime resurface on campuses
Meanwhile, protests resurfaced on Iranian streets as students from several universities across the country rallied against the Islamic regime, Iranian media reported Saturday.
At Sharif University of Technology in Tehran, students gathered on campus chanting “freedom” and “Death to Khamenei,” the UK-based Iran International channel reported.
Reuters reported that students were also calling for Reza Pahlavi, the exiled son of Iran’s toppled shah, to be a new monarch.
Later reports revealed that the protests at the university escalated into violence, resulting in several students being injured.
“The enemy wants the university to become virtual, but we will not allow it,” Sharif University President Masoud Tajrishi was quoted as saying.
Meanwhile, students at Amir Kabir University of Technology in Tehran blocked a street near campus and shouted, “Don’t be afraid, we are all together.”
Clashes were later reported at the university as protesters chanted, “Death to the three corrupt ones: Islamists, leftists, and Mojahedin,” according to Tousi TV.
Videos circulating online showed protesters clashing with security forces on Valiasr Street in Tehran as well.
Reports also indicated a growing protest at Mashhad University of Medical Sciences in northern Iran.
Iranians gather while blocking a street during a protest in Tehran, Iran on January 9, 2026. The nationwide protests started in Tehran’s Grand Bazaar against the failing economic policies in late December, which spread to universities and other cities (credit: MAHSA/Middle East Images/AFP via Getty Images)
Protesters sentenced to death
Separately, an Iranian court sentenced seven protesters to death earlier this month for their alleged role in setting fire to a military base during the nationwide protests in January, Iran International reported on Friday.
The defendants stated that they were trapped inside the building when it was set ablaze, but the court rejected these claims. The seven men, including a 19-year-old, face charges of arson, collusion against national security, “corruption on earth,” and “enmity against God.”
Last month, amid ongoing unrest across Iran, Trump issued several warnings to Tehran over the killing of anti-government protesters, vowing to “take very strong action” to prevent such executions.
In a later statement, he said, “The killing has stopped. The executions have stopped. There’s no plan for executions or an execution. I’ve been told that on good authority. We’ll find out about it. I’m sure if it happens, I’ll be very upset.”
US President Donald Trump and members of his cabinet in the situation room during US strikes on Iran, June 22, 2025. (credit: WHITE HOUSE)
‘Sharp increase’ in arrests of Christians following 12-day war with Israel
Meanwhile, Tehran’s crackdown on minority groups has intensified as it faces mounting pressure both domestically and internationally.
A comprehensive report published Thursday by four human rights groups found that there have been nearly twice as many arrests of Christians on charges related to their religious beliefs in 2025 compared to the previous year: 254 compared to 139.
The report, titled “Scapegoating: the 2026 annual report on Rights Violations Against Christians in Iran,” was published by Middle East Concern, Article18, Open Doors, and CSW.
The report also noted a “sharp increase” in arrests of Christians following the 12-day war with Israel. The report cited a statement by Iran’s Intelligence Ministry, which recently said that 53 “trained elements” have been “neutralized” since the conflict with Israel, referring to Evangelical Christians.
Additionally, Iranian courts have been issuing more severe sentences to Christians. The report noted that in 2024, a total of 96 Christians arrested received a cumulative sentence of 263 years. In 2025, that number spiked, with a total of 73 arrested Christians receiving a cumulative sentence of 280 years, conveying a trend toward harsher sentences.
The report urged the international community to hold Iran accountable for its failure to uphold international obligations regarding religious freedom, and to ensure fair and informed asylum procedures for Iranian Christians seeking refuge abroad.
Yonah Jeremy Bob and Reuters contributed to this report.
