Iran protests live updates: Trump warns of ‘very strong action’ if Iran executes protesters, as death toll soars | Iran
important events
Erfan Sultani reportedly faces imminent execution
Erfan Sultani like that It was reported that he was in danger of being executed in Iran on Wednesday after he was arrested on Thursday, tried, found guilty and sentenced.
The 26-year-old was arrested in the city of Karaj, on the northwestern outskirts of Tehran, at the height of protests ahead of the internet blackout. Soltani is one of thousands of protesters arrested last week.
Amnesty International highlighted his situation and warned of concerns: Iranian authorities “may once again resort to summary trials and arbitrary executions to crush and deter dissidents”.
According to information collected by Amnesty International, the group said it learned from a knowledgeable source on January 11 that authorities had told Soltani’s family that he had been sentenced to death. The group said Soltani lost contact with his loved ones on January 8 due to mass protests and the regime’s internet shutdown.
According to observers, Iran is the world’s most prolific executioner after China. The Norway-based Iran Human Rights group said at least 1,500 people were hanged last year.
Donald Trump returned to Washington DC on Tuesday evening to be briefed on possible US action in Iran. In DC it is just after 8pm, in Iran it is 4:30pm on a Wednesday.
Opening summary
Welcome to our ongoing live coverage of the Iran crisis. Donald Trump He said the US would “take very strong action” against Iran if the regime began executing people as part of a crackdown on growing protests at home.
Trump told CBS News: “Once they start killing thousands of people and now you’re talking about hitting on me. We’ll see how that plays out for them.”
Iranian Kurdish rights group Hengaw reported: Erfan SultanaA 26-year-old man arrested in connection with protests in the city of Karaj will be executed on Wednesday. Citing a source close to the family, Hengaw reported that authorities had told the family that the death penalty was certain.
The US president called for the protests to continue and once again suggested that US military intervention may be coming. “Iranian patriots, continue to protest; take over your institutions!!! … help is on the way,” Trump said in a post on Truth Social on Tuesday, a day after the White House press secretary said airstrikes were among “many options” the US president was considering.
Increasingly credible reports emerged that thousands of people had been killed in the protests. The number of reports ranges from 2,000 to 20,000, according to two CBS sources citing medical records from hospitals. The Iranian regime did not provide any official figures.
In other developments:
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US citizens should leave Iran immediately, US State Department says and “consider crossing from Iran by land to Armenia or Türkiye if it is safe”. US virtual embassy to Iran It says citizens should “plan for alternative means of communication” due to “ongoing internet outages” and “have a departure plan that does not rely on assistance from the U.S. government.”
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Donald Trump announced he will cancel meetings with Iranian officials until the “senseless killings” end, signaling a possible setback in efforts to de-escalate tensions. Trump is expected to receive a briefing on the extent of casualties in Iran on Tuesday night. Vice President J.D. Vance, reportedly Trump, who called on Trump to try diplomacy first, chairs the National Security Council managers’ meeting regarding Iran.
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Elon Musk’s SpaceX offers free internet to people in Iran via Starlink satellite service, According to Bloomberg NewsThe internet outage in the country has exceeded five days. According to Bloomberg’s report, the subscription fee was waived so that people with buyers in Iran could access the service without paying.
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Trump’s envoy Steve Witkoff secretly met with exiled former Iranian crown prince Reza Pahlavi last weekend, Axios reported. A senior US official told the press the two discussed the protests. In previous messages blocked by the Iranian government’s internet shutdown, he said he was ready to lead a transition. He also pushed for a referendum and non-violent change in the country.
