Category: US-Iran

US President Donald Trump announced on Wednesday that Iran has chosen not to execute a detained protester who took part in anti-government demonstrations. This decision came after human rights activists and the US State Department highlighted the issue.

Trump stated, “We have been told that executions in Iran are stopping, and there are no plans for any executions. The killing has stopped. The executions have halted.”

Previously, there were concerns that Iranian authorities might execute Erfan Soltani, a 26-year-old protester arrested less than a week ago, according to his family and the State Department.

Trump reassured reporters, “There is no plan for an execution. I have reliable information on this. We will confirm the situation. I would be very upset if it happened.” He did not provide details about his source.

Soltani’s family member, Somayeh, told CNN that the execution planned for earlier that day had not taken place. However, she mentioned that it was not officially canceled, and they were waiting for more updates.

Hengaw, a human rights organization based in Norway, reported later on Wednesday that Soltani’s execution has been postponed.

In a post on X on Tuesday, the State Department said Iranian authorities intended to execute Soltani, who was arrested at home last week for his involvement in protests in Fardis, a city about 25 miles west of Tehran.

The State Department added, “More than 10,600 Iranians have been arrested by the Islamic Republic regime just for demanding their basic rights. Erfan Soltani, 26, is among them, and his death sentence was set for January 14.”

10-min Sham Trial

Somayeh spoke to CNN on Tuesday. She did not give her full name due to safety concerns. She said that Soltani was “an incredibly kind and warm-hearted young man” who “always fought for the freedom of Iran.”

Somayeh explained that Soltani was not allowed a lawyer or a chance to appeal his death sentence. She stated that his trial was rushed.

Experts say that rushed death sentences and unfair trials happen often in Iran.

The US State Department mentioned on social media that “this time, the Islamic Republic regime didn’t even bother with its usual 10-minute sham trial.”

In an interview with Fox News aired Wednesday, Iran’s Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi claimed that hanging protesters is “out of the question.” He said he is confident about this and described reports saying otherwise as part of a “misinformation campaign.” He believes these reports are meant to provoke President Trump and could lead to serious consequences.

Over the weekend, Iranian Attorney General Mohammad Movahedi Azad said that legal actions against protesters, whom he called “terrorists,” will happen “without leniency, mercy, or appeasement,” according to the semi-official news agency Tasnim.

On Wednesday, Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) announced that its intelligence network received almost 400,000 public reports, resulting in some arrests.

Denied Access to Case

Hengaw reported that Soltani was arrested at his home last Thursday. Four days later, his family learned that he would be executed.

Soltani’s family cannot access any information about his case, including the charges against him. His sister, who is a licensed lawyer, tried to look into the case but has been blocked by authorities from seeing the case file.

They received only a short chance to visit him one last time before his execution.

This upcoming execution has increased tensions between the United States and Iran, with Trump considering military action against Iran.

On Tuesday, Trump warned Iran not to execute protesters and said the US would respond strongly. In an interview with CBS News, he said, “If they do such a thing, we will take very strong action,” but he did not explain what that would be. Trump acknowledged he had not heard about hangings but stressed that such actions could lead to a strong US response.

“We don’t want to see what’s happening in Iran. If they want to protest, that’s one thing; but when they start killing thousands of people, and now you’re telling me about hangings, we’ll see how that works out for them,” Trump said. “It’s not going to work out well.”

Somayeh, a family member, reached out to Trump for help.

“Our demand now is that Trump truly stand behind his words because the Iranian people came to the streets based on those statements,” she told CNN on Tuesday. “An unarmed population trusted these words and is now under gunfire. I beg you, please do not let Erfan be executed. Please.”

 

The United States and the United Kingdom are reducing the number of military personnel at the Al-Udeid air base in Qatar. This decision comes as US President Donald Trump considers action against Iran over its response to anti-government protests.

Officials told CBS, a US news outlet, that the partial withdrawal of American troops is a safety measure. Some UK military personnel are also being withdrawn.

The Qatari government stated that these actions by the US are a response to rising tensions in the region. Trump has said that the US will take strong action against Iran if the country executes any protesters. In response, Iran has warned it will retaliate if the US attacks.

Human rights groups report that more than 2,400 anti-government protesters have been killed during the recent violent crackdown by Iranian authorities.

The Qatari government has promised to take all necessary steps to keep its citizens and residents safe. This includes protecting important infrastructure and military sites.

Al-Udeid is the largest US military base in the Middle East, hosting about 10,000 US troops and around 100 UK personnel. It is unclear how many will be leaving.

A spokesperson from the UK Ministry of Defence did not comment on the reports of personnel withdrawal, citing operational security.

Iran Warned Trump of Retaliation in Case of Attack

A senior adviser to Iran’s Supreme Leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, warned Donald Trump on Wednesday that a recent attack in June showed Iran’s ability to respond to any attack. Ali Shamkhani said in a post on X, “This will help others understand Iran’s willingness and ability to respond.”

The US Mission to Saudi Arabia has advised its personnel and citizens to be careful and limit non-essential travel to military sites in the region.

The US has threatened to intervene in Iran after the killing of protesters. On Tuesday, Trump posted on Truth Social that Iranian authorities would “pay a big price” for these killings and encouraged people to “keep protesting.” He said Iranian leaders called him, wanting to negotiate, but he claimed the US “may need to act before a meeting.”

Iran’s government accused the US of trying to create a reason for military intervention. The speaker of the Iranian parliament warned that if the US attacks, Israeli and US military and shipping centers in the region would become targets.

The latest protests in Iran started in late December due to the falling currency and rising living costs. The protests quickly grew into demands for political change, presenting a serious challenge to Iran’s clerical leadership since the 1979 Islamic Revolution.

The US-based Human Rights Activists News Agency (HRANA) reported that it has confirmed the deaths of 2,403 protesters, including 12 children, despite an internet blackout. They also reported that more than 18,434 protesters have been arrested during the unrest.

Iran is experiencing rising protests and increasing threats from the Trump administration. In response, Iran’s Supreme Leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, issued a warning to the United States this week through an unusual platform: his Russian-language account on X. Analysts believe this shows how closely Iran is aligning with Moscow as pressure on the regime grows.

On January 11, Khamenei wrote in Russian, “The United States today is miscalculating in its approach toward Iran.” A few hours later, he posted again in Russian, warning that Americans have faced defeat in the past because of “miscalculations” and may do so again due to “erroneous planning.”

Ksenia Svetlova, the executive director of the Regional Organization for Peace, Economy and Security (ROPES) and an associate fellow at Chatham House, pointed out that Khamenei’s choice to use Russian was significant, even if the writing was awkward.

“This is poorly written Russian,” Svetlova told Fox News Digital. “It seems to have been translated by Google Translate rather than a human.” Still, she said Khamenei using a Russian-language account was not surprising given the strong ties between Iran and Russia in recent years.

Iranian Internal Crisis Continued to Deepen

Khamenei has issued a warning as Iran’s internal crisis worsens. HRANA, a human rights organization, reports that at least 544 people have died in nationwide protests, with more cases still under review. The National Council of Resistance of Iran (NCRI) says that over 3,000 people have died, which is more than what the government says. It’s hard to know for sure because the internet is turned off in many places in Iran.

U.S. President Donald Trump has criticized Iran in response to the rising death toll. When asked if Iran had crossed a red line, Trump said, “It looks like they’re starting to.” And there seem to be some people killed that aren’t supposed to be killed. These are violent. If you call them leaders, I don’t know if they’re leaders or just rule through violence. But we’re looking at it very seriously,” during a flight on Air Force One.

“We’re considering some very strong options,” he added.

Iranian leaders say the U.S. is interfering in their affairs. They warn that if the U.S. takes military action, it will result in retaliation against American forces and allies in the region. However, Tehran also wants to keep diplomatic communication open.

Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesman Esmaeil Baghaei said that communication between Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi and U.S. special envoy Steve Witkoff is still active. Axios reported that Araghchi contacted Witkoff over the weekend amid Trump’s warnings of possible military action.

Despite these efforts, analysts believe Khamenei’s message in Russian shows that Iran views Russia as its most reliable strategic partner.

Critical Lifeline for Iran

Russia is an important ally for Iran, especially because Moscow needs Iranian drones and military equipment for its war in Ukraine. Svetlova pointed out that if Iran faces internal problems, it could seriously affect Russia.

“I believe this could have a big impact because they depend on Iran for military supplies, like drones and missiles,” she said. “They need these to keep fighting in Ukraine.”

However, this relationship has caused frustration in Iran. Svetlova mentioned that after the 12-day conflict with Israel, many Iranians criticized Russia for not helping.

“There was a lot of anger in Iran towards Russia for not providing support,” she said. “They didn’t reach out or offer any assistance at all.”

Still, Svetlova noted that Russia has few other options as its global influence declines. With key allies like Bashar al-Assad in Syria and Nicolás Maduro in Venezuela losing power, Moscow increasingly depends on Tehran, even though it stays quiet about the protests happening in Iran.

Iran’s Supreme Leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, has called for unity as mass protests continue across the country. He described the protests as actions by terrorists.

In a speech on Iranian state television on Friday, Khamenei warned against these protests. He claimed they are part of a foreign plot led by the United States. He also threatened that the authorities would take strong action to end the unrest.

Khamenei accused the protesters of working for US President Donald Trump. He said they were vandalizing public property and warned that Tehran would not accept people acting as “mercenaries for foreigners.” He claimed that Trump has “stained hands” from the blood of Iranians.

The government is struggling to control the situation, which has resulted in the deaths of many protesters and at least four members of the security forces since the protests began on December 28.

President Masoud Pezeshkian has called for calm and urged the state to listen to “genuine” concerns. However, other officials have warned that the authorities are unlikely to show leniency because they see the protests as supported by foreign enemies.

Cut Off

Protests over economic issues started in Iran when shopkeepers in Tehran became upset about a steep drop in the value of the rial currency.

To control the protests, the government cut off internet access on Thursday. This blackout continued on Friday, and phone services were also down, causing airlines to cancel flights in and out of the country.

Despite these measures, activists shared videos showing protesters chanting against the government around bonfires, with debris scattered on the streets in Tehran and other areas.

On Friday, Iranian state media responded to the protests. They claimed that “terrorist agents” from the US and Israel had caused violence and set fires. They also reported “casualties” but did not provide details.

Trump said on Thursday that the US would not let Tehran harm protesters. He stated, “Iran has been told very strongly that if they do that, they’re going to have to pay hell.”

Trump has also refused to meet with Iran’s self-proclaimed “Crown Prince” Reza Pahlavi, indicating that the US is not ready to support a successor to the current government if it collapses.

Pahlavi, the son of Iran’s last shah, who was overthrown in the Islamic Revolution of 1979, has called for more protests. Holly Dagres, a senior fellow at the Washington Institute for Near East Policy, said Pahlavi’s call has “turned the tide” of the protests. She noted that social media posts show Iranians are taking his call seriously to try to oust the Islamic Republic.

Dagres explained, “This is exactly why the internet was shut down: to prevent the world from seeing the protests. Unfortunately, it also likely provided cover for security forces to kill protesters.”

In a TV address, Supreme Leader Khamenei said protesters are “ruining their own streets to make the president of another country happy,” referring to Trump. An audience was heard chanting, “Death to America!”

U.S. President Donald Trump has warned Iran’s leaders not to harm peaceful protesters. He said that the U.S. “will come to their rescue.”

In a short post on social media, he stated, “We are locked and loaded and ready to go,” but he did not give further details.

A senior adviser to Iran’s Supreme Leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, responded, advising Trump to “be careful” if he intervenes, warning of potential chaos across the Middle East.

Reports indicate that at least eight people have been killed in Iran following almost a week of mass protests triggered by worsening economic conditions.

In his post on Truth Social, Trump wrote, “If Iran shoots and violently kills peaceful protesters, which is their custom, the United States of America will come to their rescue.”

The U.S. President did not specify what actions Washington might take against the Iranian authorities.

In June, the U.S. conducted strikes against Iran’s nuclear sites under Trump’s orders. American officials later argued that these strikes significantly hindered Tehran’s ability to develop a nuclear weapon, a claim disputed by Iran.

In retaliation, Iran launched a missile attack on a major U.S. military base in Qatar.

Khamenei Adviser Warns Trump

Shortly after Donald Trump’s latest social media post, Ali Larijani, an adviser to Khamenei, issued his own warning.

“Trump should know that US interference in this internal matter would mean destabilizing the entire region and jeopardizing America’s interests,” he wrote.

However, some protesters expressed that intervention from the US would be welcome.

“They [security forces] are afraid and shake to their bones when Mr. Trump or Mr. (Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin) Netanyahu says something,” a young woman protesting in Tehran told the BBC’s Newshour programme. Preferring to remain anonymous for her own safety, she mentioned that protesters had been seeking US support for years because the security forces “believe that if Trump says something, he will do it,” and they “know that if anything happens, they would have to face the consequences.”

Casualties Amid Protests

On Thursday, six people in Iran were reported to have been killed during the fifth day of protests. According to the semi-official Fars news agency and the human rights group Hengaw, two people died in clashes between protesters and security forces in the southwestern city of Lordegan. They were identified as Ahmad Jalil and Sajjad Valamanesh, both confirmed as protesters.

Three individuals were reported killed in Azna, and another died in Kouhdasht, all in the western part of the country. Fars did not specify whether these victims were demonstrators or security force members. Additionally, one death was reported in Fuladshahr, central Iran, and another casualty occurred in Marvdasht, in the south.

Footage shared on social media depicted cars set on fire during violent confrontations between protesters and security forces.

Earlier, Iranian officials stated that a young member of the country’s security forces had been killed on Wednesday in the western city of Kouhdasht. However, protesters claimed that the man was actually one of their own and had been shot dead by the security forces.

On Friday, clashes erupted during the burial ceremony for the slain man, which was attended by thousands of mourners. Uniformed members of the security forces attempted to carry his coffin, but the crowd wrested it from them and chased them away.

Why Protests Erupted Across the Country?

The protests started on Sunday in Tehran, driven by shopkeepers’ anger over another significant decline in the value of the Iranian currency, the rial, against the US dollar in the open market.

By Tuesday, university students had joined the demonstrations, which spread to several cities, with many people chanting against the country’s clerical leaders.

President Masoud Pezeshkian has stated that he will listen to the “legitimate demands” of the protesters.

In response, the country’s Prosecutor-General, Mohammad Movahedi-Azad, warned that any attempt to create instability would be met with a “decisive response.”

Iran has promised to respond strongly to any attacks after U.S. President Donald Trump threatened more military action if Tehran tries to rebuild its nuclear program or missile capabilities.

President Masoud Pezeshkian made this warning on X on Tuesday, one day after Trump met with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu at his Florida estate. During this meeting, Trump strongly supported Israel’s position in the region.

The U.S. had not previously said it would target Iran’s missile capabilities, which is an important goal for Israel. Instead, the focus has been on Iran’s nuclear program. Iran insists that its nuclear activities are for peaceful purposes. U.S. intelligence and the U.N. nuclear watchdog have not found any evidence of nuclear weapons production before the attacks by the U.S. and Israel in June.

Iran has refused to negotiate about its missile program. These comments from both leaders raise concerns about a new conflict, just months after a 12-day war in June that killed over 1,100 Iranians and 28 Israelis.

Pezeshkian said that any aggression would lead to a “severe and regret-inducing” response from Iran. His statement came shortly after Trump told reporters at Mar-a-Lago that the U.S. could carry out another major attack on Iran.

“Now I hear that Iran is trying to build up again, and if they are, we’re going to have to knock them down,” Trump said while standing next to Netanyahu. “We’ll knock the hell out of them.”

Trump also stated that he would support immediate strikes on Iran’s nuclear program and missile facilities if Tehran continues developing long-range weapons.

Iran is Rebuilding Its Ballistic Missile Stockpile, Israeli Forces Say

Israeli officials are worried that Iran is rebuilding its stockpile of ballistic missiles after significant losses during the June conflict.

One Israeli official told Ynet that if the U.S. does not reach an agreement with Iran to stop its ballistic missile program, a confrontation with Tehran might be necessary.

Pezeshkian described the situation as a “full-scale war” involving the U.S., Israel, and Europe. He said this conflict is “more complicated and more difficult” than Iran’s war with Iraq in the 1980s, which killed over one million people.

In June, Israel carried out nearly 360 strikes across 27 Iranian provinces in 12 days, according to the conflict monitoring group ACLED. The attacks focused on military bases, nuclear plants, and government buildings. They destroyed many Iranian missiles and killed several important military leaders and scientists.

In response, Iran fired over 500 missiles at Israel, with some landing in towns. While Trump claimed that the strikes “completely obliterated” Iran’s nuclear capabilities, experts disagreed, saying Iran may still have hidden stockpiles of enriched uranium and could restart production within months.

Despite the damage, Iranian officials say they are now better prepared. Pezeshkian recently stated that Iran’s military forces are “stronger in terms of equipment and manpower” than they were before the ceasefire.

The war did not lead to the internal unrest that Netanyahu expected. There were no significant protests, and daily life in Tehran continued normally despite the attacks.