Thousands initially took to the streets of Iran late last month. The protests began over the country's economic turmoil but expanded into one of the country's largest anti-government demonstrations.

The White House says there will “grave consequences” if the Iranian regime resumes the killing of protesters, but the president has also been encouraged by reports that Iran has halted executions. 

“The temperature has been lowered a little bit. They seem to have peaked in terms of the level of violence, in terms of the regime's response, but it seems to be cooling off a little bit,” says Vice Adm. Robert Murrett (Ret.), professor of practice of public administration and international affairs.  

“And the communications that have taken place between the United States and the Iranian regime have actually, in one sense, been fruitful, if it does succeed in having them stop the killing,” he says. 

“Two points I would like to make: One, this was a level of killings and suppression which is different in scale from anything we've seen in the last few years of protest movements. And the other thing is it hasn't really solved any of the underlying problems that exist in Iran, nor the anger that so many of their people have against the regime,” Murett says. 

Watch the full interview via the CBS News website.