Tehran: January 5, 2018. Elam Ministries and Iranian Christians are asking the global church to intercede for Iran following the recent popular protests that swept through the country. From 28 December 2017, many Iranian cities and towns witnessed popular protests for several days. Clashes with the authorities led to at least 21 people being killed, and as many as one thousand protestors may have been arrested. Iran’s state media has announced that the government has quashed the protests and has gained control over the situation by deploying units of the Revolutionary Guard. As a result it is reported that large-scale protests have ceased over the past 24 hours. The head judge of Tehran's Revolutionary Court has said some of the arrested protestors could face execution. The protests were initially centred on economic grievances. While originally directed at the Rouhani government, the protests soon developed into broader anti-regime and anti-revolutionary demonstrations. There were unprecedented images of protestors tearing down posters of Ayatollah Khomeini, the first Supreme Leader of the Islamic Republic, and the current Supreme Leader, Ayatollah Khamenei. It is well documented that the vast majority of Iranians are deeply disillusioned with the Islamic theocratic regime and are angry with the religious rulers. Since the 1979 revolution, the people have suffered political repression and the abuse of basic human rights. Oppression and economic corruption are endemic in the authority structures.