President Donald Trump has issued a stern warning to Iran amid reports of the potential execution of a young protester. Rights organizations allege that Erfan Soltani, a 26-year-old from Fardis, has been fast-tracked to face the death penalty for his involvement in recent protests. Despite limited information provided to his family, independent NGO Hengaw Organization for Human Rights revealed that Soltani was arrested at his residence and swiftly put on trial.
During an interview on CBS Evening News, Trump expressed concern over the escalating situation in Iran, emphasizing that any violent crackdown on protesters would not be tolerated. Following the cancellation of talks with Iranian officials, Trump assured protesters of imminent support without specifying the nature of assistance. The president’s strong stance comes in the wake of mounting casualties, with reports indicating over 2,000 deaths linked to the ongoing unrest.
As tensions continue to rise, Iranian authorities have acknowledged the casualties, attributing the delay in reporting to the severity of injuries sustained by the victims. The protests initially sparked by economic hardships have evolved into a broader anti-government movement, targeting Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei. Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi’s dialogue with the US envoy has been overshadowed by Trump’s uncompromising stance, prompting a retaliatory response from Iranian security official Ali Larijani, who singled out Trump and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu as the main instigators of violence in Iran.