After the media were initially slow to give attention to anti-government protests in Iran that have been running for three days, on Saturday evening the NBC Nightly News led with the story and put its competitors on ABC and CBS to shame as ABC's World News Tonight only gave the story 21 seconds, and the CBS Weekend News ignored the story completely. CBS did, however, find time to air its third full report in three consecutive days devoted to fretting over the possibility that private charities will suffer as a result of the Republican tax cut plan.

At the beginning of the NBC Nightly News opening tease, anchor Kate Snow gave viewers a hint of the protests' magnitude, and noted President Donald Trump's public reaction, as she plugged: "Tonight, the most widespread anti-government protests in Iran in years - a nationwide display of dissent in a country that has little tolerance for that. President Trump declares, 'Oppressive regimes cannot endure forever.'"

Introducing the report, Snow further played up how historically important the demonstrations are:

Good evening. For the third day in a row, anti-government protesters took to the streets in Iran in what appear to be the most widespread demonstrations since the government crushed a big reform movement in 2009. There was also a large pro-government rally in Tehran today. And, from Florida, President Trump weighed in, saying, "The world is watching."

The entire report lasted two minutes and 27 seconds, as correspondent Kelly O'Donnell filled viewers in on events in Iran, and then informed viewers of the Trump administration's public reactions.

FNC's Fox Report show spent two minutes and 24 seconds on the story as it was the second item presented shortly past 7:00 p.m. ET. On ABC, substitute anchor Dan Harris ran a brief:

We turn overseas now to Iran, a third day of unauthorized protests, and Donald Trump is weighing in. Demonstrators gathering in several cities protesting the economy and government corruption. Some even blasting the country's supreme religious leader. President Trump tweeting in support of the protesters twice today, saying, "Oppressive regimes cannot endure forever," and, "The world is watching!"

CNN -- which does not have an equivalent evening newscast -- has been devoting significant time to the story, and during the 7:00 p.m. ET hour, CNN Newsroom with Ana Cabrera spent more than seven minutes on Iran by first running a full report, and then there was a segment which began with a discussion of Iran with Texas Republican Rep. Will Hurd appearing as a guest.

Below is a complete transcript of the NBC Nightly News report from Saturday, December 30: