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Donald Trump has warned that the United States would respond with “very strong action” if Iran proceeds with executions of anti-government protesters, as reports indicate the death toll from the unrest has exceeded 2,500.
Speaking to CBS News on Tuesday night, Trump said Washington would not remain passive if Iranian authorities began carrying out hangings. His remarks came shortly before he was scheduled to receive a briefing on the growing number of casualties linked to the protests.
Human rights groups fear that Erfan Soltani, a 26-year-old protester arrested in Karaj near Tehran during the height of demonstrations last week, may be facing imminent execution. Amnesty International has raised alarms about his case, warning that Iranian authorities may again rely on rapid trials and arbitrary executions to suppress dissent. According to the Norway-based Iran Human Rights group, at least 1,500 people were executed in Iran last year.
Trump acknowledged that a “substantial number” of people had been killed during more than two weeks of nationwide protests. The US-based Human Rights Activists News Agency (HRANA) reported early Wednesday that at least 2,571 people, including 12 children, had died, with more than 18,100 individuals detained. The scale of the violence is described as the deadliest unrest Iran has seen in decades, drawing comparisons to the turmoil of the 1979 Islamic Revolution.
Iranian state television has made its first official reference to the fatalities, quoting an official who referred to the dead as “many martyrs.”
The US State Department has urged American citizens to leave Iran immediately, a warning echoed by several Western governments. In his CBS interview, Trump referenced previous US military actions, including strikes in Venezuela and the killing of Islamic State leader Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi, as he issued a stark warning to Tehran over the reported executions.
Trump also voiced support for protesters on Truth Social, encouraging them to continue demonstrations and preserve evidence of abuses. He said all meetings with Iranian officials had been cancelled until the killings stopped, adding that assistance was forthcoming.
Iran’s mission to the United Nations rejected Trump’s comments, accusing Washington of pursuing regime change through sanctions, threats, and manufactured unrest. Russia echoed similar criticism, with its foreign ministry claiming external forces were attempting to destabilise Iran.
Iranian authorities have maintained that they have restored control following days of nationwide protests. Communication services, which had been largely cut during the crackdown, partially resumed on Tuesday, allowing some international phone calls.
Reports indicate security forces have been searching for Starlink satellite internet equipment, with residents in northern Tehran describing raids on apartment buildings. Although satellite dishes are officially banned, enforcement had been lax in recent years. Activists say Starlink has begun offering free internet access in Iran.
State media has broadcast dozens of televised confessions from detainees since late December, according to HRANA. The group says testimony from released prisoners indicates these confessions were obtained under coercion and torture, raising fears they could be used to justify executions.
Witnesses told the Associated Press that heavy security remained visible in public areas, with riot police deployed at major intersections and plainclothes officers patrolling streets. Officers were reportedly equipped with helmets, body armour, batons, shields, shotguns and tear gas launchers.
With reporting from the Associated Press and Reuters
