Anti-government protests in Iran, which have spread to all provinces in recent weeks, have been largely suppressed, seven days after the hardline theocratic government shut down the internet and telephone traffic and escalated a bloody crackdown on opponents, in which at least 2.637 people have been killed.
Witnesses said there were no new signs of bonfires set overnight or debris on the streets in the capital Tehran today or yesterday. Gunfire, which had been heard frequently for several nights, has also subsided, the Associated Press (AP) agency reports.
Iranian state media is reporting waves of arrests, targeting protesters whom the government calls "terrorists."
These media outlets also published a list of damage "from the terrorist operation," which includes hundreds of damaged shops and public buildings, dozens of cars and ambulances, and several religious sites.
According to the US-based Activists for Human Rights in Iran, at least 2.637 people have been killed in protest-related violence so far, 22 more than yesterday's tally.
The death toll is higher than in any wave of protests or unrest in Iran in recent decades, and is reminiscent of the chaos of the 1979 Islamic Revolution.
Video footage of the demonstrations has stopped coming from Iran, likely signaling a slowdown due to the heavy presence of security forces in major cities, according to the AP.
The possibility of American retaliation for the deaths of protesters remains, although US President Donald Trump has signaled de-escalation, saying the killings appear to be stopping.
The US has announced that it is imposing new sanctions on Iranian officials accused of suppressing protests that began on December 28 due to the difficult economic situation and the collapse of the rial currency.
Iranian authorities closed their airspace for more than four hours early this morning without explanation, something they had previously done during times of war with Israel.
The United Nations (UN) Security Council has scheduled an emergency meeting on Iran for tonight, at the request of the US.
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