Iranian protester faces ‘imminent’ execution, claims human rights group

A 26-year-old protester faces “imminent” execution in Iran after he was arrested in connection with anti-regime demonstrations, a human rights group has said.

Erfan Soltani, from the city of Fardis to the west of Tehran, will be executed on Wednesday, according to Norway-based rights group Hengaw.

The Kurdish group that documents human rights abuse in Iran said Mr Soltani’s family had been informed about the death sentence, although they had been “deliberately kept uninformed” about the judicial process.

Hengaw said Mr Soltani had been arrested in connection with protests in the city of Karaj and faced the “imminent execution of a death sentence following a rapid and opaque judicial process”.

“The rushed and non-transparent handling of this case has heightened concerns over the use of the death penalty as a tool to suppress public protests,” Hengaw said on Monday.

The reports come as Donald Trump urged demonstrators to “keep protesting” and promised “help is on its way” in a post on Truth Social on Tuesday.

“Save the names of the killers and abusers. They will pay a big price,” Mr Trump said.

“I have cancelled all meetings with Iranian Officials until the senseless killings of protesters STOPS.

“HELP IS ON ITS WAY.”

In an interview with CBS News, Mr Trump reiterated warnings against executions in Iran, declaring he would take “very strong action” if the regime hangs protesters.

As he headed back to Washington from a visit to Detroit, Mr Trump told reporters his administration will look at the “whole situation that’s going on in Iran”, adding “it’s really bad stuff”.

“Iran is on my mind when I see the kind of death that is happening there, we think,” he said.

Mr Trump’s remarks came as the US urged its citizens to “leave Iran now”, ideally by land through Turkey or Armenia.

Since demonstrations began in Tehran on 28 December, when shopkeepers staged a strike against the collapse of the Iranian currency to an all-time low, protests have spread across the country.

The death toll from the unrest climbed to 2003 people on Tuesday, according to US-based rights group HRANA.

The figure included 1,850 protesters, 135 government-affiliated individuals, nine ‌people ⁠aged under ‌18 and ‍nine non-protester civilians, the group said.

Iranian authorities blocked internet and telephone connections on 9 January as the protests intensified.

Phone connection was briefly restored on Tuesday, allowing witnesses to the protests to share reports with news outlets of a heavy security presence in central Tehran, burned-out government buildings and smashed ATMs.

Anti-riot police officers, wearing helmets and body armour, carried batons, shields, shotguns and tear-gas launchers, witnesses reported.

As speculation mounted that the US might take action in Iran, vice president JD Vance chaired a National Security Council principals meeting on Iran on Tuesday night.

Mr Trump’s chief negotiator, Steve Witkoff, reportedly held a secret meeting with the exiled former crown prince of Iran, Reza Pahlavi, over the weekend. The son of Iran’s last shah has sought to position himself as an opposition figure since the protests began.

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The demonstrations pose potentially the largest threat to Iran’s regime since the 1979 Islamic Revolution – when former supreme leader Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini installed a Shia theocracy.

Iran’s ambassador to the UK was summoned to the Foreign Office in London on Tuesday afternoon amid concerns about the Iranian government’s crackdown on protesters. Several European countries held similar meetings, including Finland’s foreign minister, who warned Tehran had shut the internet off “to kill and oppress in silence”.

Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei criticised the US and praised the Iranians who took part in pro-government demonstrations on state TV on Monday.

“This was a warning to American politicians to stop their deceit and not rely on traitorous mercenaries,” he said.

Iran’s economy has struggled in recent years due to rising inflation and pressure from US sanctions imposed under the first Trump administration in 2018. The UN reimposed sanctions in September.

Mr Trump announced on Monday that any countries doing business with Iran will face 25% tariffs from the US.

The country suffered further blows during the 12-day war, which saw America and Israel strike the country’s nuclear facilities in June.