Iran has signalled it will press ahead with fast-track trials and executions of detained protesters, defying warnings from U.S. President Donald Trump that Washington would take «very strong action» if hangings go ahead.
Iran’s chief justice said authorities must act quickly to maintain the impact of punishments, as human rights groups warned that executions could be imminent. A 26-year-old protester, Erfan Soltani, has been sentenced to death, making him the first known anti-government demonstrator to face execution during the current unrest. It remains unclear whether the sentence has been carried out.
Trump has publicly backed Iranian protesters and warned Tehran against executing demonstrators, while Iranian officials dismissed the U.S. statements as a pretext for foreign intervention. Regional powers, including Turkey and Saudi Arabia, have reportedly cautioned Washington that intervention could trigger a wider conflict.
According to human rights monitors, more than 2,500 people have been killed and over 18,000 arrested during the crackdown, making the unrest one of the deadliest episodes since Iran’s 1979 revolution.
Kursiv Uzbekistan also reports that Kazakhstan’s Foreign Ministry voiced serious concern over drone attacks on January 13, 2026, targeting three tankers headed to the Caspian Pipeline Consortium terminal in the Black Sea.
