US will take 'very strong action' if Iran hangs protesters: Trump
Trump said Iranian authorities would “pay a big price” for the killings and has cancelled all meetings with Iranian officials until the violence stops
US President Donald Trump has threatened "very strong action" against Iran if it proceeds with the execution of protesters, as rights groups report a rising death toll from a nationwide crackdown on unrest triggered by economic hardship.
Trump said Iranian authorities would "pay a big price" for the killings and has cancelled all meetings with Iranian officials until the violence stops. His administration is weighing military options and has announced 25% tariffs on any country trading with Iran. Trump has also used the acronym "MIGA" — "Make Iran Great Again" — a slogan associated with a US-based Iranian opposition group, says the BBC.
Human rights organisations and international monitors say Iran's response to the protests has resulted in heavy casualties and mass arrests.
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The Human Rights Activists News Agency (HRANA) said it has confirmed the killing of 2,403 protesters, including 12 children. An Iranian official has put the death toll at 2,000, blaming "terrorists" for the violence.
More than 18,434 people have been arrested, according to rights groups. Iranian courts are reported to be issuing death sentences through "extremely rapid" processes, sometimes within two days. One detainee, 26-year-old Erfan Soltani, is scheduled for execution. Prosecutors have charged some detainees with "enmity against God," a national security offence that carries the death penalty.
Medical facilities in Tehran are under strain, with hospitals described as "warzones" facing shortages of blood and supplies. Videos from the Kahrizak Forensic Centre showed hundreds of bodies in bags, while activists reported bodies being brought in from multiple neighbourhoods.
The protests began over the collapse of Iran's currency and rising living costs but have expanded into calls for political change and the removal of the clerical establishment. Protesters have been heard chanting "Death to the dictator".
Authorities have imposed a near-total internet blackout lasting more than 120 hours. Security forces have set up checkpoints in cities to inspect vehicles and mobile phones, and there are reports of gunfire being used against demonstrators.
UN human rights chief Volker Türk has urged Iran to stop the violence, criticising the use of expedited trials and the branding of protesters as "terrorists".
Iran's government has accused the United States of seeking to "manufacture a pretext for military intervention". Judiciary Chief Gholamhossein Mohseni Ejei said those involved in the unrest would be "dealt with seriously and severely".
