US shoots down Iranian drone that ‘aggressively’ approached an aircraft carrier, military says

President Trump’s Middle East envoy and his son-in-law were expected to meet Iran’s foreign minister in Istanbul on Friday amid tensions between the countries.

Donald Trump says ‘time is running out’ for Iran as the threat of war appears to loom closer. A huge US armada is being moved towards Iran and is seen as the starkest indication yet that Trump intends to strike. The US president had called on the Iranian regime to negotiate a deal on the future of its nuclear programme, only weeks after he promised Iranian protesters ‘help was on the way’ then backtracked days later. Nosheen Iqbal talks to the Guardian’s deputy international news editor, Devika Bhat, about what Trump could do next – watch on YouTube Continue reading...

Iran’s Islamic Republic, weakened by airstrikes in June and huge popular unrest, warns that it will strike back hard if attacked by the United States. This time, Iran may mean it.

U.S. and European officials say they have put three demands in front of the Iranians, including a permanent end to all enrichment of uranium.

Relative calm in Tehran and authorities say they have no plan to execute protesters but internet shutdown continues Iran’s nationwide protest movement appeared to have slowed on Thursday under the weight of a brutal crackdown by authorities that has left thousands dead and put tens of thousands in prison. In Tehran, Iranians reported relative calm on the streets as the sound of gunfire faded and fires were extinguished – a marked contrast from the weeks before when large crowds confronted security forces. Continue reading...

The judiciary said that Erfan Soltani was not sentenced to death, Iranian state media reported. His case has drawn attention to the fate of the arrested demonstrators.

President Trump has said that “help is on the way” for Iranian protesters. Amid reports that thousands of the protesters have been killed, our national security correspondent David E. Sanger describes what some of Mr. Trump’s options might be.

Protesters face execution as the Iranian regime continues its violent crackdown, defying the US president, Donald Trump, who has threatened ‘very strong action’ if demonstrators are killed. Erfan Soltani, 26, is the first protester to be sentenced to death , but it is unclear whether or not his execution has taken place. Lucy Hough speaks to journalist Deepa Parent about what she is hearing from those inside Iran – watch on YouTube Continue reading...

Its security forces have brutally defended the Islamic Republic, but the protests show that many Iranians consider it stagnant and ideologically hollow.

Press chief says US president considering ‘many, many’ options amid deadly regime crackdown on protesters Donald Trump is “unafraid to use military force on Iran” the White House said on Monday as the Iranian regime still faces widespread unrest across the country. Speaking to Fox News, the White House press secretary, Karoline Leavitt, said that although diplomacy remained Trump’s “first option”, he was “unafraid to use the lethal force and might of the United States military if and when he deems that necessary”. Continue reading...

US president claims ‘Iran wants to negotiate’ as rights groups report that regime’s crackdown on protest has killed hundreds. Plus, how Grok’s nudification tool went viral Good morning. Donald Trump has claimed that Iran has reached out and proposed negotiations, as he considers “very strong” military action against the regime over a deadly crackdown on protesters that has reportedly killed hundreds. What’s happening in Iran? The protest movement in Iran is the most significant unrest it has experienced in years. Though triggered initially by a sudden slide in the country’s currency, protesters soon demanded political reform and called for the downfall of the government. How has Iran responded to Trump’s comments? The Iranian parliamentary speaker, Mohammad-Bagher Ghalibaf, warned Washington against “a miscalculation” , saying Israel and US interests in the Middle East would be “legitimate targets”. How has Powell responded? In a blistering statement yesterday, Powell argued he had been threatened with criminal charges because the Fed had set interest rates “based on our best assessment of what will serve the public, rather than following the preferences of the president”. Continue reading...

Internet blackout hampering efforts to verify if violent crackdown has blunted movement’s momentum Iran crisis live – latest updates Iran’s foreign minister has claimed the situation in the country has “come under total control” as authorities carry out a brutal crackdown against the nationwide protest movement . Abbas Araghchi made the comments to foreign diplomats in Tehran, without supplying evidence. Continue reading...

The comments came after President Trump said he was “ looking at some very strong options” to curb Iran’s harsh repression of anti-government protests.

US president claims ‘Iran wants to negotiate’ as rights groups report that regime’s crackdown on protest has killed hundreds Donald Trump has claimed Iran has reached out and proposed negotiations, as he considers “very strong” military action against the regime over a deadly crackdown on protesters that has reportedly killed hundreds. Asked on Sunday by reporters aboard Air Force One if Iran had crossed his previously stated red line of protesters being killed, Trump said “they’re starting to, it looks like.” Continue reading...

Reza Pahlavi, once the crown prince of Iran, says protesters there have been emboldened by President Trump suggesting that he could take military action.

President Masoud Pezeshkian expressed sympathy for protesters’ economic pain, but said the state must respond to “rioters.” Rights groups reported a big spike in the death toll.

After days of fierce protest in cities around Iran, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei dismissed the demonstrations as vandalism and wanton destruction.

The Pentagon, the headquarters for the U.S. Department of Defense, is seen from the air, Sept. 20, 2025, in Arlington, Va. (AP Photo/Alex Brandon, FIle) 2026-02-03T17:45:24Z WASHINGTON (AP) — A U.S. Navy fighter jet shot down an Iranian drone that was approaching the aircraft carrier USS Abraham Lincoln in the Arabian Sea, U.S. Central Command said Tuesday, threatening to ramp up tensions as the Trump administration warns of possible military action to get Iran to the negotiating table . The drone “aggressively approached” the aircraft carrier with “unclear intent” and “continued to fly toward the ship despite de-escalatory measures taken by U.S. forces operating in international waters,” Central Command spokesman Capt. Tim Hawkins said in a statement Tuesday. The shootdown occurred within hours of Iranian forces harassing a U.S.-flagged and U.S.-crewed merchant vessel that was sailing in the Strait of Hormuz, the U.S. military said. The Shahed-139 drone was shot down by an F-35C fighter jet from the Lincoln, which, according to Hawkins, was sailing about 500 miles (800 kilometers) from Iran’s southern coast. The military’s statement noted that no American troops were harmed and no U.S. equipment was damaged. freestar.queue.push(function () { window.fsAdCount = window.fsAdCount + 1 || 0; let customChannel = '/dynamic_' + fsAdCount; let adList = document.querySelectorAll(".fs-feed-ad") let thisAd = adList[fsAdCount]; let randId = Math.random().toString(36).slice(2); thisAd.id = randId; let thisPlacement = fsAdCount == 0 ? "apnews_story_feed" : "apnews_story_feed_dynamic"; freestar.newAdSlots({ placementName: thisPlacement, slotId: randId }, customChannel); }); Then, hours later, Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps forces harassed the merchant vessel Stena Imperative, the military said. According to Hawkins’ statement, two boats and an Iranian Mohajer drone approached the ship “at high speeds and threatened to board and seize the tanker.” The destroyer USS McFaul responded to the scene and escorted the Stena Imperative “with defensive air support from the U.S. Air Force,” the statement said, adding that the merchant vessel was now sailing safely. The actions come as tensions are high between the longtime adversaries. They began to rise again as Iran’s government spent weeks quelling protests that began in late December against growing economic instability before broadening into a challenge to the Islamic Republic. President Donald Trump had promised in early January to “rescue” Iranians from their government’s bloody crackdown on protesters, which later morphed into a pressure campaign to get Tehran to make a deal over its nuclear program. That is even as the Republican president insists Iranian nuclear sites were “obliterated” in U.S. strikes in June . freestar.queue.push(function () { window.fsAdCount = window.fsAdCount + 1 || 0; let customChannel = '/dynamic_' + fsAdCount; let adList = document.querySelectorAll(".fs-feed-ad") let thisAd = adList[fsAdCount]; let randId = Math.random().toString(36).slice(2); thisAd.id = randId; let thisPlacement = fsAdCount == 0 ? "apnews_story_feed" : "apnews_story_feed_dynamic"; freestar.newAdSlots({ placementName: thisPlacement, slotId: randId }, customChannel); }); “We have talks going on with Iran. We’ll see how it all works out,” Trump told reporters in the Oval Office on Monday. Asked what his threshold was for military action against Iran, he declined to elaborate. “I’d like to see a deal negotiated,” Trump said. “Right now, we’re talking to them, we’re talking to Iran, and if we could work something out, that’d be great. And if we can’t, probably bad things would happen.” The U.S. shot down the drone hours after Iran’s president said Tuesday that he instructed the country’s foreign minister to “pursue fair and equitable negotiations” with the U.S., marking one of the first clear signs from Tehran it wants to try to negotiate with Washington despite a breakdown of talks last summer. Turkey had been working behind the scenes to make the talks happen there later this week as U.S. Mideast envoy Steve Witkoff is traveling in the region. A Turkish official later said that the location of talks was uncertain but that Turkey was ready to support the process. ___ Amiri reported from New York. FARNOUSH AMIRI Amiri covers foreign policy and the United Nations as a correspondent for The Associated Press, based in New York. twitter mailto 获取更多RSS： https://feedx.net https://feedx.site

Iran examines regional proposals to ease tensions with the US as it expects a framework for talks in the coming days.

Move comes after a European Union decision to label the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps a 'terrorist organisation'.

Ali Larijani says efforts to get framework for negotiations advancing, as US naval deployment in Gulf fuels concerns.

Masoud Pezeshkian says foreign powers 'took advantage' of the country's problems and 'provoked' society.

Iran's foreign minister says missile programme not up for negotiation as Trump says sending more ships to the region.

President Donald Trump says he is speaking to Iran’s leadership amid a US military build-up in the Middle East.

Numerous US military assets in the Gulf region are 'within the range of our medium-range missiles', Iran warns.

Iran pushes back after Trump says Tehran can either negotiate 'a fair and equitable deal' or face a US 'armada'.

Foreign minister announces apparent reversal of France's stance, saying Iran protest crackdown 'cannot go unanswered'.

Fears of a US attack on Iran are again heightened after Donald Trump threatened action “like with Venezuela.”

Iran says it will deliver an unprecedented retaliation to any US attack following threats by Trump.

Fears of US attack rise as president says Tehran can either negotiate 'a fair and equitable deal' or face a US 'armada'.

A vendor waits for customers at Tajrish Square in Tehran, Iran, Tuesday, Jan. 27, 2026. (AP Photo/Vahid Salemi) 2026-01-28T09:30:23Z DUBAI, United Arab Emirates (AP) — Iranian officials reached out to the wider Middle East on Wednesday over the threat of a possible U.S. military strike on the country, a month since the start of protests in Iran that soon spread nationwide and sparked a bloody crackdown. Two nations, Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates, have signaled they won’t allow their airspace to be used for any attack. But America has moved the USS Abraham Lincoln and several guided missile destroyers into the region, which can be used to launch attacks from the sea. It remains unclear what U.S. President Donald Trump will decide about using force, though he laid down two red lines — the killing of peaceful demonstrators and the possible mass execution of detainees. The protests saw at least 6,221 people killed as Iran launched a bloody crackdown on the demonstrations, with many others feared dead, activists said Wednesday. freestar.queue.push(function () { window.fsAdCount = window.fsAdCount + 1 || 0; let customChannel = '/dynamic_' + fsAdCount; let adList = document.querySelectorAll(".fs-feed-ad") let thisAd = adList[fsAdCount]; let randId = Math.random().toString(36).slice(2); thisAd.id = randId; let thisPlacement = fsAdCount == 0 ? "apnews_story_feed" : "apnews_story_feed_dynamic"; freestar.newAdSlots({ placementName: thisPlacement, slotId: randId }, customChannel); }); Iran’s state-run media, which now only refers to protesters as “terrorists,” remains the sole source of news for many as Tehran cut off access to the global internet some three weeks ago. But Iranians have become angry and anxious in the weeks since, seeing footage of protesters shot and killed while worrying about what may happen next as the country’s economy sinks further. “I feel that my generation failed to give a better lesson to younger ones,” said Mohammad Heidari, a 59-year-old high school teacher in Tehran. “The result of decades of teaching by my colleagues and me led to death of thousands, and maybe more injured and prisoners.” Rapid diplomacy between Iran, Arab nations Egypt’s Foreign Ministry said its top diplomat, Badr Abdelatty, separately spoke with Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi and U.S. Mideast envoy Steve Witkoff to “work toward achieving calm, in order to avoid the region slipping into new cycles of instability.” The statement offered no details, though Iranian state media quoted Araghchi as saying third-party mediators had been in touch. Witkoff, a billionaire real estate developer and Trump’s friend, had earlier negotiated over Iran’s nuclear program. There was no immediate acknowledgment from the White House of the call. freestar.queue.push(function () { window.fsAdCount = window.fsAdCount + 1 || 0; let customChannel = '/dynamic_' + fsAdCount; let adList = document.querySelectorAll(".fs-feed-ad") let thisAd = adList[fsAdCount]; let randId = Math.random().toString(36).slice(2); thisAd.id = randId; let thisPlacement = fsAdCount == 0 ? "apnews_story_feed" : "apnews_story_feed_dynamic"; freestar.newAdSlots({ placementName: thisPlacement, slotId: randId }, customChannel); }); Meanwhile, Saudi Arabia’s Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman held a call with Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian, saying the kingdom would “not allow its airspace or territory to be used for any military actions against Iran or for any attacks from any party, regardless of their origin.” That follows a similar pledge by the UAE. Both Saudi Arabia and the UAE host American air assets and troops. Both also have faced attacks in the last decade. A 2019 assault believed by the West to have been carried out by Iran briefly halved Saudi oil production . The UAE faced several attacks claimed by Yemen’s Houthi rebels in 2022. However, America’s biggest base in the region is Qatar’s vast Al Udeid Air Base, which serves as the forward operating headquarters of the U.S. military’s Central Command. Both Araghchi and Ali Larijani, a top Iranian security official, held calls with Qatar’s Prime Minister Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al Thani. Qatar acknowledged the calls, but offered few specifics on what was discussed. freestar.queue.push(function () { window.fsAdCount = window.fsAdCount + 1 || 0; let customChannel = '/dynamic_' + fsAdCount; let adList = document.querySelectorAll(".fs-feed-ad") let thisAd = adList[fsAdCount]; let randId = Math.random().toString(36).slice(2); thisAd.id = randId; let thisPlacement = fsAdCount == 0 ? "apnews_story_feed" : "apnews_story_feed_dynamic"; freestar.newAdSlots({ placementName: thisPlacement, slotId: randId }, customChannel); }); Iran attacked Al Udeid in June in response to Trump sending American warplanes to bomb Iranian nuclear enrichment sites after Israel launched a 12-day war on the Islamic Republic. “Our position is exactly this: Applying diplomacy through military threats cannot be effective or constructive,” Araghchi told journalists Wednesday outside of a Cabinet meeting. “If they want negotiations to take shape, they must abandon threats, excessive demands, and the raising of illogical issues. Negotiations have their own principles: they must be conducted on an equal footing, based on mutual respect, and for mutual benefit.” Activists offer new death toll While the protests have been halted for weeks after the crackdown, information slowly trickling out of Iran via Starlink satellite dishes is reaching activists, who have been trying to tally the carnage. On Wednesday, the U.S.-based Human Rights Activists News Agency, which has been accurate in multiple rounds of unrest in Iran, said at least 6,221 dead it counted included at least 5,858 protesters, 214 government-affiliated forces, 100 children and 49 civilians who weren’t demonstrating. More than 42,300 have been arrested, it added. freestar.queue.push(function () { window.fsAdCount = window.fsAdCount + 1 || 0; let customChannel = '/dynamic_' + fsAdCount; let adList = document.querySelectorAll(".fs-feed-ad") let thisAd = adList[fsAdCount]; let randId = Math.random().toString(36).slice(2); thisAd.id = randId; let thisPlacement = fsAdCount == 0 ? "apnews_story_feed" : "apnews_story_feed_dynamic"; freestar.newAdSlots({ placementName: thisPlacement, slotId: randId }, customChannel); }); The group verifies each death and arrest with a network of activists on the ground in Iran. The Associated Press has been unable to independently assess the death toll given that authorities cut off the internet and disrupted calls into the Islamic Republic. Iran’s government has put the death toll at a far lower 3,117, saying 2,427 were civilians and security forces, and labeled the rest “terrorists.” In the past, Iran’s theocracy has undercounted or not reported fatalities from unrest. That death toll exceeds that of any other round of protest or unrest in Iran in decades, and recalls the chaos surrounding the 1979 Islamic Revolution. freestar.queue.push(function () { window.fsAdCount = window.fsAdCount + 1 || 0; let customChannel = '/dynamic_' + fsAdCount; let adList = document.querySelectorAll(".fs-feed-ad") let thisAd = adList[fsAdCount]; let randId = Math.random().toString(36).slice(2); thisAd.id = randId; let thisPlacement = fsAdCount == 0 ? "apnews_story_feed" : "apnews_story_feed_dynamic"; freestar.newAdSlots({ placementName: thisPlacement, slotId: randId }, customChannel); }); The protests began on Dec. 28, sparked by the fall of the Iranian currency, the rial, and quickly spread across the country. They were met by a violent crackdown, the scale of which is only starting to become clear as the country has faced more than two weeks of internet blackout — the most comprehensive in its history. ___ Associated Press writer Fay Abuelgasim in Cairo contributed to this report. JON GAMBRELL Gambrell is the news director for the Gulf and Iran for The Associated Press. He has reported from each of the Gulf Cooperation Council countries, Iran and other locations across the world since joining the AP in 2006. twitter instagram mailto

'It's wrong to start the war again,' Turkiye's foreign minister tells Al Jazeera amid escalating US-Iran tensions.

Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian emphasised that regional instability 'benefits no one' during the call.

USS Abraham Lincoln carrier's arrival is 'not going to affect Iran's determination to defend the nation', Tehran warns.

This photo provided by the U.S. Navy shows sailors preparing a Boeing EA-18G Growler on the flight deck of the Nimitz-class aircraft carrier USS Abraham Lincoln in the Indian Ocean on Jan. 21, 2026. (Mass Communication Specialist Seaman Daniel Kimmelman/U.S. Navy via AP) 2026-01-26T08:51:23Z DUBAI, United Arab Emirates (AP) — Yemen’s Iranian-backed Houthi rebels threatened new attacks on ships traveling through the Red Sea corridor, likely trying to back Iran as it worried Monday about an approaching U.S. aircraft carrier after President Donald Trump threatened military action over its crackdown on nationwide protests. A short video by the Houthis included previously published images of a ship on fire, with the caption: “Soon.” The rebels did not elaborate, but their campaign in the Red Sea saw over 100 ships attacked as part of a campaign the Houthis said pressured Israel over its war against Hamas in the Gaza Strip. The Houthis halted their fire after a ceasefire in the conflict, though they’ve repeatedly warned they could resume fire if needed. The Houthi threat come as the aircraft carrier USS Abraham Lincoln and other guided missile destroyers with it move toward the region . Trump has said the ships are being moved “just in case” he decides to take action against Iran. Trump already has laid out two red lines for attack — the killing of peaceful protesters and Tehran conducting mass executions of those it has arrested in a massive crackdown over the demonstrations. Iran renews threats and limits smaller flights Iranian Defense Ministry spokesperson Gen. Reza Talaei-Nik renewed warnings Monday to both Israel and the U.S. over any possible attack, saying it would “be met with a response that is more painful and more decisive than in the past.” Iranian state television quoted Talaei-Nik as adding that threats from the two countries required Iran “to maintain full and comprehensive preparedness.” Iran over the weekend unveiled a new banner in Enghelab Square threatening the Lincoln, showing an aircraft carrier strewn with bodies and streaked with blood with the warning: “If you sow the wind, you will reap the whirlwind.” However, Iran is still reeling from a 12-day war launched by Israel in June that saw its air defense systems broadly destroyed and top military leaders killed, as well as its nuclear enrichment sites bombed by the U.S. As a sign of concern over its airspace, Iran issued a notice to pilots Sunday that banned small private aircraft from flying in the country, with carveouts for the oil industry and emergency medical flights. Many Western airlines have started to avoid Iranian airspace entirely due to the tensions, though Gulf Arab carriers flying to Moscow still rely on the route. Iranian air defense troops in 2020 shot down a Ukrainian commercial airliner , killing 176 people on board. freestar.queue.push(function () { window.fsAdCount = window.fsAdCount + 1 || 0; let customChannel = '/dynamic_' + fsAdCount; let adList = document.querySelectorAll(".fs-feed-ad") let thisAd = adList[fsAdCount]; let randId = Math.random().toString(36).slice(2); thisAd.id = randId; let thisPlacement = fsAdCount == 0 ? "apnews_story_feed" : "apnews_story_feed_dynamic"; freestar.newAdSlots({ placementName: thisPlacement, slotId: randId }, customChannel); }); Death toll rises from protest crackdown The protests in Iran began on Dec. 28, sparked by the fall of the Iranian currency, the rial, and quickly spread across the country. They were met by a violent crackdown by Iran’s theocracy, the scale of which is only starting to become clear as the country has faced more than two-week internet blackout — the most comprehensive in the nation’s history. The U.S.-based Human Rights Activists News Agency on Sunday put the death toll at 5,848, with the number expected to increase. It says more than 41,280 people have been arrested. The group’s figures have been accurate in previous unrest and rely on a network of activists in Iran to verify deaths. That death toll exceeds that of any other round of protest or unrest there in decades, and recalls the chaos surrounding Iran’s 1979 Islamic Revolution. The Associated Press has not been able to independently verify the toll. Iran’s government has put the death toll at a far lower 3,117, saying 2,427 were civilians and security forces, and labeled the rest “terrorists.” In the past, Iran’s theocracy has undercounted or not reported fatalities from unrest. JON GAMBRELL Gambrell is the news director for the Gulf and Iran for The Associated Press. He has reported from each of the Gulf Cooperation Council countries, Iran and other locations across the world since joining the AP in 2006. twitter instagram mailto 获取更多RSS： https://feedx.net https://feedx.site

Trump says US 'armada' is heading towards the Gulf, raising fears of a military escalation in the region.

People walk at Tehran's historic Grand Bazaar, Tuesday, Jan. 20, 2026, in Iran. (AP Photo/Vahid Salemi) 2026-01-23T01:56:39Z DUBAI, United Arab Emirates (AP) — The toll in Iran’s bloody crackdown on nationwide protests has reached at least 5,002 people killed, activists said Friday, warning many more were feared dead as the most comprehensive internet blackout in the country’s history crossed the two-week mark. The challenge in getting information out of Iran persists due to authorities cutting off access to the internet on Jan. 8 , even as tensions rise between the United States and Iran as an American aircraft carrier group moves closer to the Middle East — a force U.S. President Donald Trump likened to an “armada” in comments to journalists late Thursday. The U.S.-based Human Rights Activists News Agency offered the death toll , saying 4,716 were demonstrators, 203 were government-affiliated, 43 were children and 40 were civilians not taking part in the protests. It added that more than 26,800 people had been detained in a widening arrest campaign by authorities. freestar.queue.push(function () { window.fsAdCount = window.fsAdCount + 1 || 0; let customChannel = '/dynamic_' + fsAdCount; let adList = document.querySelectorAll(".fs-feed-ad") let thisAd = adList[fsAdCount]; let randId = Math.random().toString(36).slice(2); thisAd.id = randId; let thisPlacement = fsAdCount == 0 ? "apnews_story_feed" : "apnews_story_feed_dynamic"; freestar.newAdSlots({ placementName: thisPlacement, slotId: randId }, customChannel); }); The group’s figures have been accurate in previous unrest in Iran and rely on a network of activists in Iran to verify deaths. That death toll exceeds that of any other round of protest or unrest in Iran in decades, and recalls the chaos surrounding Iran’s 1979 Islamic Revolution. Iran’s government offered its first death toll Wednesday , saying 3,117 people were killed. It added that 2,427 of the dead in the demonstrations that began Dec. 28 were civilians and security forces, with the rest being “terrorists.” Iran’s theocracy in the past has undercounted or not reported fatalities from unrest. The Associated Press has been unable to independently assess the death toll, in part due to authorities cutting access to the internet and blocking international calls into the country. Iran also reportedly has limited journalists’ ability locally to report on the aftermath, instead repeatedly airing claims on state television that refer to demonstrators as “rioters” motivated by America and Israel, without offering evidence to support the allegation. freestar.queue.push(function () { window.fsAdCount = window.fsAdCount + 1 || 0; let customChannel = '/dynamic_' + fsAdCount; let adList = document.querySelectorAll(".fs-feed-ad") let thisAd = adList[fsAdCount]; let randId = Math.random().toString(36).slice(2); thisAd.id = randId; let thisPlacement = fsAdCount == 0 ? "apnews_story_feed" : "apnews_story_feed_dynamic"; freestar.newAdSlots({ placementName: thisPlacement, slotId: randId }, customChannel); }); The new toll comes as tensions remain high over Trump laying down two red lines over the protests — the killing of peaceful demonstrators and Tehran conducting mass executions. Iran’s attorney general and others have called some of those being held “mohareb” — or “enemies of God.” That charge carries the death penalty. It had been used along with others to carry out mass executions in 1988 that reportedly killed at least 5,000 people. The U.S. military meanwhile has moved more military assets toward the Mideast, including the aircraft carrier USS Abraham Lincoln and associated warships traveling with it from the South China Sea. A U.S. Navy official, who spoke on condition of anonymity to discuss military movements, said Thursday that the Lincoln strike group is currently in the Indian Ocean. Trump said Thursday aboard Air Force One that the U.S. is moving the ships toward Iran “just in case” he wants to take action. “We have a massive fleet heading in that direction and maybe we won’t have to use it,” Trump said. freestar.queue.push(function () { window.fsAdCount = window.fsAdCount + 1 || 0; let customChannel = '/dynamic_' + fsAdCount; let adList = document.querySelectorAll(".fs-feed-ad") let thisAd = adList[fsAdCount]; let randId = Math.random().toString(36).slice(2); thisAd.id = randId; let thisPlacement = fsAdCount == 0 ? "apnews_story_feed" : "apnews_story_feed_dynamic"; freestar.newAdSlots({ placementName: thisPlacement, slotId: randId }, customChannel); }); Trump also mentioned the multiple rounds of talks American officials had with Iran over its nuclear program prior to Israel launching a 12-day war against the Islamic Republic in June, which saw U.S. warplanes bomb Iranian nuclear sites. He threatened Iran with military action that would make earlier U.S. strikes against its uranium enrichment sites “look like peanuts.” “They should have made a deal before we hit them,” Trump added. The United Kingdom’s Defense Ministry separately said its joint Eurofighter Typhoon fighter jet squadron with Qatar, 12 Squadron, “deployed to the (Persian) Gulf for defensive purposes noting regional tensions.” ___ Associated Press writer Konstantin Toropin in Washington contributed to this report. JON GAMBRELL Gambrell is the news director for the Gulf and Iran for The Associated Press. He has reported from each of the Gulf Cooperation Council countries, Iran and other locations across the world since joining the AP in 2006. twitter instagram mailto

US president says 'big force going towards Iran' but he would 'rather not see anything happen' amid tension with Tehran.

The Martyrs Foundation noted that 2,427 of those killed in the demonstrations were civilians and security forces.

War of words between Trump and Iranian officials escalates as Washington moves aircraft carrier.

Iran’s supreme leader has accused US President Donald Trump of being behind the deaths of ‘several thousand’ protesters.

A man holds a poster of the Iranian Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei during a funeral ceremony for a group of security forces, who were killed during anti-government protests, in Tehran, Iran, Wednesday, Jan. 14, 2026. (AP Photo/Vahid Salemi) 2026-01-17T12:44:59Z DUBAI, United Arab Emirates (AP) — Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei on Saturday branded U.S. President Donald Trump a “criminal” for supporting protesters in Iran, and blamed demonstrators for causing thousands of deaths. In a speech broadcast by state television, Khamenei said the protests had left “several thousand” people dead — the first indication from an Iranian leader of the extent of the casualties from the wave of protests that began Dec. 28 and led to a bloody crackdown. “In this revolt, the U.S. president made remarks in person, encouraged seditious people to go ahead and said: ‘We do support you, we do support you militarily,’” said Khamenei, who has final say on all state matters. He reiterated an accusation that the U.S. seeks domination over Iran’s economic and political resources. “We do consider the U.S. president a criminal, because of casualties and damages, because of accusations against the Iranian nation,” he said. He described the protesters as “foot soldiers” of the United States and said they had destroyed mosques and educational centers. “Through hurting people, they killed several thousand of them,” he said. Trump had sounded a conciliatory tone His comments come a day after Trump sounded a conciliatory tone , saying that “Iran canceled the hanging of over 800 people,” and adding that “I greatly respect the fact that they canceled.” He did not clarify who he spoke to in Iran to confirm the state of any planned executions. His comments were a sign he may be backing away from a military strike. In recent days, Trump had told protesting Iranians that “ help is on the way ” and that his administration would “act accordingly” if the killing of demonstrators continued or if Iranian authorities executed detained protesters. In his speech, Khamenei said rioters were armed with live ammunition that was imported from abroad, without naming any countries. “We do not plan, we do not take the country toward war. But we do not release domestic offenders, worse than domestic offenders, there are international offenders. We do not let them alone either,” he said, and urged officials to pursue the cases. freestar.queue.push(function () { window.fsAdCount = window.fsAdCount + 1 || 0; let customChannel = '/dynamic_' + fsAdCount; let adList = document.querySelectorAll(".fs-feed-ad") let thisAd = adList[fsAdCount]; let randId = Math.random().toString(36).slice(2); thisAd.id = randId; let thisPlacement = fsAdCount == 0 ? "apnews_story_feed" : "apnews_story_feed_dynamic"; freestar.newAdSlots({ placementName: thisPlacement, slotId: randId }, customChannel); }); An uneasy calm Iran has returned to an uneasy calm after harsh repression of protests that began Dec. 28 over Iran’s ailing economy. The crackdown has left at least 3,090 people dead, according to the U.S.-based Human Rights Activists News Agency, exceeding that of any other round of protest or unrest in Iran in decades and recalling the chaos surrounding the 1979 revolution. The agency has been accurate throughout the years of demonstrations, relying on a network of activists inside Iran that confirms all reported fatalities. The AP has been unable to independently confirm the toll. Iranian officials have repeatedly accused the United States and Israel of fomenting unrest in the country. On Friday, Iran’s President Masoud Pezeshkian, in a phone conversation with Russian President Vladimir Putin, accused the U.S. and Israel of meddling in the unrest. freestar.queue.push(function () { window.fsAdCount = window.fsAdCount + 1 || 0; let customChannel = '/dynamic_' + fsAdCount; let adList = document.querySelectorAll(".fs-feed-ad") let thisAd = adList[fsAdCount]; let randId = Math.random().toString(36).slice(2); thisAd.id = randId; let thisPlacement = fsAdCount == 0 ? "apnews_story_feed" : "apnews_story_feed_dynamic"; freestar.newAdSlots({ placementName: thisPlacement, slotId: randId }, customChannel); }); Reports of limited internet access briefly restored There have been no signs of protests for days in Tehran, where shopping and street life have returned to outward normality, and Iranian state media has not reported on any new unrest. During the unrest, authorities blocked all internet access on Jan. 8. On Saturday, text messaging and very limited internet services began functioning again briefly in parts of Iran, witnesses said. Cellphone text messaging began operating overnight, while users were able to access local websites through a domestic internet service. Some also reported limited access to international internet services via use of a virtual private network, or VPN. The extent of access and what was behind it wasn’t immediately. It was possible that officials were turning on some systems for the start of the Iranian working week, as the outage has affected businesses, particularly banks in the country trying to handle transactions. Internet traffic monitoring service Cloudflare and internet access advocacy group NetBlocks reported very slight increases in connectivity Saturday morning, while Iran’s semiofficial Mehr news agency also reported limited internet access. It did not offer an explanation. freestar.queue.push(function () { window.fsAdCount = window.fsAdCount + 1 || 0; let customChannel = '/dynamic_' + fsAdCount; let adList = document.querySelectorAll(".fs-feed-ad") let thisAd = adList[fsAdCount]; let randId = Math.random().toString(36).slice(2); thisAd.id = randId; let thisPlacement = fsAdCount == 0 ? "apnews_story_feed" : "apnews_story_feed_dynamic"; freestar.newAdSlots({ placementName: thisPlacement, slotId: randId }, customChannel); }); Exiled Iranian royal calls for further protests There have been no signs of protests for days in Tehran, where shopping and street life have returned to outward normality. A call by Iran’s exiled Crown Prince Reza Pahlavi for protesters to take to the streets again from Saturday to Monday did not appear to have been heeded by Saturday afternoon. Pahlavi, whose father was overthrown by Iran’s 1979 Islamic Revolution , enjoys support from die-hard monarchists in the diaspora but has struggled to gain wider appeal within Iran. However, that has not stopped him from presenting himself as the transitional leader of Iran if the government were to fall.

The country's supreme leader says foreign-backed protests 'caused massive damage and killed several thousands'.

Despite Iran's vulnerable position, any US strikes could risk triggering a protracted conflict, analysts say.

BBC Middle East correspondent Hugo Bachega reports from the Iranian-Armenian border as internet shutdown continues following deadly protests.

New penalties come as Trump welcomes purported Iranian decision to halt execution of antigovernment demonstrators.

A day after warning of ‘serious consequences,’ Trump said he had been told the killing of protesters in Iran had stopped

Airspace restrictions come amid fears that US President Donald Trump could attack Iran.

Trump has threatened to attack Iran, prompting Tehran to warn of retaliation amid growing fears of conflict.

In 17 days, protests in Iran which began over the economy have snowballed into its worst unrest in years. Here's how.

US officials say it is a "precautionary measure" and comes as Donald Trump weighs up whether to take action against Iran.

Contacts between Tehran and Washington cut off, as Iran shows no sign of heeding US warnings over protest crackdown.

Relatives of 26-year-old Erfan Soltani, who was detained last week, have told BBC Persian he is due to be executed on Wednesday.

Israel's covert operations in Iran spark allegations of destabilising protests as tensions escalate.

US President Donald Trump has said “help is on the way” for anti-government protesters in Iran.

Relatives of an arrested protester tell BBC Persian he is due to be executed on Wednesday, as the death toll from demonstrations reportedly exceeds 2,400.

Iran says US seeking to 'manufacture a pretext for military intervention' as President Trump warns of 'strong action'.

US President Donald Trump said the death toll from protests in Iran is too high.

Donald Trump declares 'help is on the way' for Iranian protesters, as calls for action against regime intensify.

Iranian FM Araghchi brushes aside threats of US military action, saying it's prepared for any scenario.

The US president has threatened Iran with military strikes amid widespread antigovernment protests there.

Trump says the new levy is "effective immediately" as anti-government protests in Iran enter a third week.

The White House says that US could carry out air strikes against Iran but would prefer diplomatic solution.

Foreign minister says he hopes Washington will choose ‘wise option’ of dialogue after Trump threatens US intervention.

The BBC's diplomatic correspondent, Caroline Hawley, looks into the latest events unfolding in Iran.

Violent protests and a fierce security crackdown have killed hundreds of people in Iran.

Iran's Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi says his country is ready for war but also for dialogue.

Trump said the US is considering “very strong options,” over the deaths of protesters in Iran.

President Trump says he has 'very strong options' for Iran as the US military studies the situation on the ground.

US president says Washington is closely monitoring protests in Iran and considering possible military intervention.

Iranian president calls for unity as protests triggered by an economic crisis escalate into the worst unrest in years.

President strikes conciliatory tone but accuses US and Israel of fuelling unrest that has killed dozens.

Tehran has warned it will retaliate against US military bases and Israel if Iran is attacked.

Parliament speaker warns US against any attack after Trump threatens military strikes amid nationwide protests.

Supreme leader warns against foreign enemies and reiterates threat that authorities will crack down on the unrest.

US president signals he is not ready to back the Israel-aligned opposition figure to lead Iran in case of regime change.

Army chief hits out at foreign 'rhetoric' targeting Iran, threatens decisive action to 'cut off hand of any aggressor'.

US president renews his threat to hit Iran 'very hard' if the country's security forces kill anti-government protesters.

Protests fuelled by economic duress spiral into political ones in some cases as they spread to different cities.

Letter to UN chief, UNSC comes after Trump says US will intervene if Tehran violently suppresses protests.

US president says Washington will intervene if Tehran violently suppresses protests over high prices.

Iranian president seeks to calm tensions, acknowledging protesters' 'legitimate' grievances over inflation.

US president says he would back attacks if Tehran rebuilds nuclear or missile programmes.

Masoud Pezeshkian has vowed to take action to protect purchasing power of Iranians as currency plummets to record lows.

Donald Trump threatened Iran and said “we’ll knock the hell out of them” if Tehran rebuilds its military forces.

If Israel and the US were to attack Iran again, they would 'face a more decisive response', Pezeshkian warns.

Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian has ordered the start of nuclear talks with the United States, local media said on Monday, after US leader Donald Trump said he was hopeful of a deal to avert military action against the Islamic Republic. Following the Iranian authorities’ deadly response to anti-government protests that peaked last month, Trump has threatened military action and ordered the dispatch of an aircraft carrier group to the Middle East. Trump has maintained he is hopeful of making...

US President Donald Trump on Sunday said he was hopeful of agreeing a deal with Iran after the country’s supreme leader warned that any US attack on the Islamic republic would trigger a regional war. Following the Iranian authorities’ deadly response to anti-government protests that peaked last month, Trump has threatened military action and ordered the dispatch of an aircraft carrier group to the Middle East. Iranian supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei on Sunday likened the recent protests to...

Iran’s president accused President Donald Trump , Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and European leaders Saturday of provoking unrest and trying to "tear this country apart," a report said. Masoud Pezeshkian told state television that Trump, Netanyahu and European leaders "rode on our problems, provoked, and were seeking — and still seek — to fragment society," according to Reuters. "They brought them into the streets and wanted, as they said, to tear this country apart, to sow conflict and hatred among the people and create division," Pezeshkian reportedly added about the anti-government protests and deadly crackdown that recently swept through Iran. "Everyone knows that the issue was not just a social protest." The White House did not immediately respond Saturday to a request for comment from Fox News Digital. SAUDIS WON'T LET THE UNITED STATES USE ITS BASES OR AIRSPACE FOR AN ATTACK ON IRAN, SENIOR GULF OFFICIAL REVEALS The U.S.-based Human Rights Activists News Agency recently reported that the violence in Iran has killed at least 6,479 people in recent weeks, with many more feared dead. Its count included at least 6,092 protesters, 214 government-affiliated forces, 118 children and 55 civilians who were not demonstrating. More than 47,200 have been arrested, it added. As of Jan. 21, Iran’s government put the death toll at a far lower 3,117, saying 2,427 were civilians and security forces and labeling the rest "terrorists." Pezeshkian’s comments come after Trump said Friday that the United States has directly communicated expectations to Iran as pressure mounts for Tehran to accept a nuclear deal. SATELLITE IMAGES REVEAL ACTIVITY AT IRAN NUCLEAR SITES BOMBED BY US, ISRAEL Asked whether Iran faces a deadline to make a deal, Trump suggested in the Oval Office on Friday the timeline had been conveyed privately. "Only they know for sure," he said when pressed about whether the message had been delivered directly to Iranian leaders. As Trump weighs his options on a possible military strike on Iran, a senior Gulf official also told Fox News Saudi Arabia will not allow the U.S. to use its airspace or bases for such an attack. Fox News’ Morgan Phillips, Peter Pinedo, Jacqui Heinrich and The Associated Press contributed to this report.

Plain clothes Iranian security forces have rounded up thousands of people in a campaign of mass arrests and intimidation to deter further protests after crushing the bloodiest unrest since the 1979 Islamic Revolution, sources told Reuters. Modest ‍protests that began last month in Tehran’s Grand Bazaar over economic hardship unleashed long-suppressed wider grievances and swiftly escalated into the gravest existential threat to Iran’s Shiite theocracy in nearly five decades, with protesters...

Iran will conduct live-fire military drills next week in the Strait of Hormuz after President Donald Trump announced a U.S. armada was on its way to the region amid escalating tensions with Tehran. The exercises will be carried out by the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps’ naval forces, Iranian state media reported Thursday. The announcement came one day after Trump said a large naval force, led by the USS Abraham Lincoln carrier strike group , was heading toward Iran. In a statement posted to Truth Social, the president warned Tehran to quickly return to negotiations over its nuclear program, saying the fleet was prepared to act with "speed and violence" if necessary. US OPENS NEW AIR DEFENSE OPERATIONS CELL AT QATAR BASE THAT IRAN TARGETED IN RETALIATORY ATTACK "Time is running out, it is truly of the essence! As I told Iran once before, MAKE A DEAL! They didn’t, and there was ‘Operation Midnight Hammer,’ a major destruction of Iran," he wrote. "The next attack will be far worse! Don’t make that happen again." The U.S. struck Iran’s Fordow, Natanz and Isfahan nuclear sites in June using B-2 bombers and Tomahawk missiles. The bombers flew for 37 hours non-stop from Whiteman Air Force Base in Missouri to drop 12 GBU-57 Massive Ordnance Penetrators on Fordow and two on Natanz. TOP IRANIAN GENERAL THREATENS TO 'CUT OFF' TRUMP'S HAND OVER POTENTIAL MILITARY STRIKES More than two dozen cruise missiles were also launched at Isfahan from a U.S. submarine. Trump is weighing military action against Tehran, as U.S. assets move into the region amid international scrutiny over a crackdown by the Islamic regime that has killed thousands of anti-government protesters. Iran warned last week that it would respond "with everything we have" to any new U.S. military attack, accusing Washington and its allies of exploiting recent unrest to push the region toward a wider war. "As Iranians grieve their loved ones and rebuild what has been destroyed, another threat looms: the final failure of diplomacy. Unlike the restraint Iran showed in June 2025, our powerful armed forces have no qualms about firing back with everything we have if we come under renewed attack," Iran’s foreign minister Abbas Araghchi said ,.

The European Union has listed Iran’s paramilitary Revolutionary Guard as a terrorist organisation over Tehran’s bloody crackdown on nationwide protests, the bloc’s top diplomat said in a post on social media on Thursday. Kaja Kallas, the EU’s foreign policy chief, said that foreign ministers unanimously agreed on the designation. “Any regime that kills thousands of its own people is working towards its own demise,” she said. “This will put them on the same footing with al-Qaeda, Hamas, Daesh,”...

US President Donald Trump urged Iran on Wednesday to come to the table ‍and make a deal on nuclear weapons or the next US attack would be far worse. Tehran responded with a threat to strike back against the United States, Israel and those who support them. “Hopefully Iran will quickly ‘Come to the Table’ and negotiate a fair and equitable deal – NO NUCLEAR WEAPONS – one that is good ⁠for all parties. Time is running out, it is truly of the essence!” Trump wrote on social media. Amid a build-up...

Sen. Ted Cruz called for the U.S. to arm Iranian protesters Tuesday as unrest continues inside the nation and Iran-backed militias issued threats against Washington. "We should be arming the protesters in Iran. NOW," Cruz wrote in a post on X. "For the Iranian people to overthrow the Ayatollah — a tyrant who routinely chants ‘death to America’ — would make America much, much safer," the Texas Republican added. Cruz was responding to another post from Tehran Bureau, which cited a source inside Iran detailing what was described as a rapidly deteriorating situation on the ground as security forces continued to crack down on demonstrations. IRAN WILL RETALIATE 'WITH EVERYTHING WE HAVE' IF US ATTACKS, SENIOR DIPLOMAT WARNS "From trusted source in Tehran: Tell all of your friends [abroad] — everyone you know: there is absolutely nothing else we can do here inside Iran," the post read. "They are killing people in such ways, they’ve descended upon people so brutally, they’re attacking us in such ways... We’ve lost so many lives that no one dares go out anymore. They shoot directly with bullets. They kill outright. And even after killing, they come and behead you, and do countless other violent things to you," it continued. "Going out into the streets is literally suicide. It’s not about bravery anymore. It’s madness. You go out and they shoot you point-blank. They don’t even ask why you came. They just kill you," the post continued. "There is absolutely no way for us to gather unless we had weapons , unless we were armed like them. Otherwise they have weapons everywhere." According to the Human Rights Activists News Agency , activist groups estimate that more than 6,000 people have been killed in Iran, with additional cases still under review. The protests began in late December amid widespread anger over economic hardship, political repression and corruption, according to reports. IRAN REGIME REPORTEDLY ISSUED NATIONWIDE SHOOT-TO-KILL ORDERS AS PROTEST DEATH TOLL SURGES Cruz’s post came after armed militias aligned with Iran warned the U.S. they would retaliate against any American attack on the Islamic Republic, as the Trump administration moved forces into the region. Kataib Hezbollah in Iraq said it was prepared for "total war" if the U.S. attacked Iran, according to The Associated Press. Abu Hussein al-Hamidawi, the group’s leader, said the "enemies" of the Islamic Republic would face "the bitterest forms of death." IRAN’S SUPREME LEADER ACKNOWLEDGES THOUSANDS KILLED AS TRUMP CALLS FOR NEW LEADERSHIP: REPORTS "You will taste every form of deadly suffering, nothing of you will remain in our region, and we will strike terror in your hearts," the statement read. Meanwhile, Yemen’s Houthis also threatened to restart attacks on vessels in the Red Sea, releasing a video Monday showing a ship engulfed in flames, captioned: "Soon," The Associated Press reported. As previously reported by Fox News Digital, President Donald Trump said Iran appeared to be seeking negotiations with the U.S. amid the growing military buildup, telling Axios, "They want to make a deal. I know so. They called on numerous occasions . They want to talk." The USS Abraham Lincoln arrived in the Middle East on Monday as unrest inside Iran continued to escalate. Fox News Digital has reached out to Sen. Ted Cruz for comment.

President Donald Trump said Iran appears to be looking to negotiate with the U.S. amid a growing military buildup in the Middle East. In a Monday interview with Axios, Trump suggested that Tehran had reached out on "numerous occasions" and "want[s] to make a deal." "They want to make a deal. I know so. They called on numerous occasions. They want to talk," the president told the outlet. According to U.S. officials, also cited by Axios , any potential agreement would need Tehran to remove all enriched uranium, cap its long-range missile stockpile, a change in support for regional proxy forces, and cease independent uranium enrichment, terms Iranian leaders have not agreed to. ISRAELI UN AMBASSADOR SENDS STARK WARNING TO IRAN AMID GROWING UNREST Trump also described the situation with Iran as "in flux," and pointed to the arrival of what he called " a big armada next to Iran . Bigger than Venezuela," referencing the recent deployment of U.S. naval assets. As previously reported by Fox News Digital, the USS Abraham Lincoln aircraft carrier entered CENTCOM waters in the Indian Ocean on Monday amid increasing threats from Iran, a senior U.S. official said. Trump had told reporters Jan. 21, "We have a big flotilla going in that direction, and we’ll see what happens. We have a big force going towards Iran . I’d rather not see anything happen, but we’re watching them very closely." The U.S. military buildup comes amid widespread unrest inside Iran following protests that began Dec. 28. SECRET SERVICE AWARE AFTER IRANIAN STATE TV AIRS TRUMP THREAT FEATURING PHOTO OF BUTLER ASSASSINATION ATTEMPT According to a recent report from Human Rights Activists News Agency (HRANA), the confirmed death toll from the protests has reached 5,848, with an additional 17,091 deaths under investigation. Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei has been sheltering in a fortified underground facility, according to Iran International. Trump is expected to hold further consultations this week, Axios said, before adding that White House officials said an attack is still on the table. Fox News Digital has reached out to the White House for comment.

The head of the Iranian Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) warned the U.S. on Saturday that the paramilitary force is "more ready than ever, finger on the trigger" as American warships head towards the Middle East. The warning comes after weeks of pressure from President Donald Trump amid widespread anti-regime protests and a violent government crackdown in which the IRGC played a key role. "The Islamic Revolutionary Guard and dear Iran stand more ready than ever, finger on the trigger, to execute the orders and directives of the Commander-in-Chief," IRGC chief Gen. Mohammad Pakpour said, The Associated Press reported, citing Nournews, a news outlet close to Iran’s Supreme National Security Council. Pakpour also reportedly warned the U.S. and Israel "to avoid any miscalculation," according to the AP. This warning comes after another last week from an Iranian ambassador who said that the U.S. and Israel were responsible for "political destabilization, internal unrest and chaos." Both Trump and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu have expressed their support for the Iranian protesters. Netanyahu said that his country was "closely monitoring" the situation. He also vowed that once Iran was "liberated from the yoke of tyranny" Israel would be prepared to be a partner in peace. IRAN WILL RETALIATE 'WITH EVERYTHING WE HAVE' IF US ATTACKS, SENIOR DIPLOMAT WARNS On Tuesday, Iran warned Trump not to take action against its Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei . "Trump knows that if any hand of aggression is extended toward our leader, we not only cut that hand, but also we will set fire to their world," Gen. Abolfazl Shekarchi, a spokesman for Iran’s armed forces, said, according to the AP. On Thursday, Trump told reporters aboard Air Force One that he was moving warships toward Iran "just in case" he wants to take action. "We have a massive fleet heading in that direction and maybe we won’t have to use it," Trump said, the AP reported. A U.S. Navy official told the AP that the aircraft carrier USS Abraham Lincoln and other warships traveling with it were in the Indian Ocean. WORLD ECONOMIC FORUM BOOTS IRANIAN FOREIGN MINISTER FROM DAVOS SUMMIT AMID DEADLY CRACKDOWN ON PROTESTERS Anti-regime protests started on Dec. 28 as Iranians took to the streets to voice their displeasure with the economic woes facing the country, which has become more isolated internationally. Since then, despite an internet blackout, reports of violence against protesters have emerged. When the protests began, Trump warned the regime that the U.S. was "locked and loaded" and ready to act if it used violence against protesters. Trump previously put out a Truth Social post on Jan. 16 in which he claimed that the Iranian regime had cancelled over 800 scheduled hangings . However, Iran’s top prosecutor, Mohammad Movahedi, said Friday that, "This claim is completely false; no such number exists, nor has the judiciary made any such decision," the AP reported. The U.S.-based Human Rights Activists News Agency (HRANA) reported on Friday that the confirmed death toll had reached 5,137, while 7,402 people were seriously injured. HRANA also said that the total number of arrests had risen to nearly 28,000. On Wednesday, the Iranian government offered its first death toll, saying that 3,117 people had been killed. It said 2,427 were civilians and security forces, and labeled the rest as "terrorists," according to the AP. The Associated Press contributed to this report.

Iran will treat any attack “as an all-out war against ‌us”, a senior Iranian official said on Friday, ahead of ‍the arrival of a US military aircraft carrier strike group and other assets in the Middle East in the coming days. “This military build-up – we hope it is not intended for real confrontation – but our military is ready for the worst-case scenario. This is why everything is on high alert in Iran,” said the senior Iranian official, speaking on condition of anonymity. “This time we will...

US President Donald ‌Trump said on Thursday that the United States has an “armada” heading towards Iran but hoped he would not have to use it, as ‍he renewed warnings to Tehran against killing protesters or restarting its nuclear programme. US officials, speaking on condition of anonymity, say the aircraft carrier USS Abraham Lincoln and several guided-missile destroyers would arrive in the Middle East in the coming days. One official said additional air-defence systems were also being eyed for...

India is watching the unfolding events in Iran with concern as a potential change in government in Tehran could reduce its “strategic manoeuvring space” in the region, even as it continues to confront security challenges posed by arch-rival Pakistan and China, analysts say. On Monday, Iran's Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei acknowledged that “several thousands” of Iranians had been killed since protests started in late December in Tehran. Human rights groups have claimed that the figure is...

Iran offered its first government-issued death toll on Wednesday following a crackdown on nationwide protests, giving a far lower figure than activists abroad as the country’s theocracy tries to reassert control after unrest recalling the chaos surrounding its 1979 Islamic Revolution. State television carried statements by the Interior Ministry and the Foundation of Martyrs and Veterans Affairs, an official body providing services to families of those killed in wars, saying 3,117 people were...

Multiple Iranian state TV channels were hacked on Sunday amid a near-total internet shutdown to air footage of exiled Crown Prince Reza Pahlavi and images of anti-government protests that have rocked Tehran in recent weeks. Two clips of Pahlavi were shown as well as a graphic calling on Iranian security forces to side with the public, The Associated Press reported. "Don't point your weapons at the people. Join the nation for the freedom of Iran," one graphic read, according to a translation from the outlet. Pahlavi himself called on Iran’s military to break with the Islamic Republic and side with the people. TRUMP’S LEADERSHIP CREATES 'RARE OPPORTUNITY' FOR CHANGE IN IRAN, FORMER IRANIAN POLITICAL PRISONER SAYS "I have a special message for the military. You are the national army of Iran, not the Islamic Republic army," he said in the hacked broadcast. "You have a duty to protect your own lives. You don’t have much time left. Join the people as soon as possible." The U.S.-based Human Rights Activists News Agency (HRANA), which tracks human rights violations in Iran, said on Sunday that nationwide protests continued into the 22nd day as President Donald Trump weighs possible U.S. military action. The group’s aggregated figures showed 624 recorded protests, the arrest of at least 24,669 people and the confirmed deaths of 3,919 individuals. KHAMENEI CALLS TRUMP A ‘CRIMINAL,’ BLAMES HIM FOR DEADLY PROTESTS SWEEPING IRAN HRANA said 3,685 of those killed were protesters , including 25 children under the age of 18. Nearly 9,000 deaths remain under investigation. Iran International reported that witnesses across multiple cities told them security forces stormed hospitals, removed injured protesters and interfered with medical care, while reports from other areas described overwhelmed morgues and a strong security presence around medical facilities. The outlet also reported that witnesses described injured protesters being left without medical care after shootings, as ambulances failed to arrive and phone networks were unavailable. Others said hospitals were inaccessible or refused treatment, resulting in some wounded protesters bleeding to death while taking shelter in nearby buildings.

Hackers disrupted Iranian state television satellite transmissions to air footage supporting the country’s exiled crown prince and calling on security forces to not “point your weapons at the people”, footage online showed early Monday, the latest disruption to follow nationwide protests in the country. The hacking came as the death toll in a crackdown by authorities that smothered the demonstrations reached at least 3,919 people killed, activists said. They fear the number will grow far higher...

The World Economic Forum is facing calls to freeze out members of the Iranian regime from a summit in Davos this week. The Iran watchdog group United Against Nuclear Iran sent a letter to WEF President Borge Brende on Friday urging the group not to invite any officials from the Islamic Republic of Iran. The group tells Fox News Digital that WEF did not respond to the letter, and instead the forum added an interview with Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi to the summit's schedule on Sunday. WEF did not immediately respond to a request for comment from Fox News Digital. UANI CEO Mark Wallace, who previously served as U.S. ambassador to the United Nations under President George W. Bush , cited human rights group reports regarding the mass slaughter of Iranian civilians by Ayatollah Ali Khamenei's regime. EXILED IRANIAN CROWN PRINCE REVEALS 6-STEP PLAN TO EXERT PRESSURE ON TEHRAN'S REGIME "Just this month, the Iranian regime has carried out what some believe to be the largest massacre in its history," Wallace wrote to Brende. "Araghchi is a member of the Supreme National Security Council (SNSC), which reportedly issued an order to use live fire on Iranian civilians protesting. Estimates suggest the regime killed at least 12,000 and up to 20,000 Iranians over the course of a few days in January as they exercised their fundamental rights to demonstrate against the Ayatollah and his tyranny." "Hosting Iranian regime officials, such as Araghchi, who whitewash this record is deeply offensive and would be wholly inappropriate to platform at a Forum whose theme this year is 'A Spirit of Dialogue.' Instead of dialogue, the Islamic Republic offered bullets to these brave Iranians," Wallace continued. Iran’s supreme leader publicly acknowledged for the first time Saturday that thousands of people were killed during recent anti-government protests, according to reporting from the BBC. TRUMP’S LEADERSHIP CREATES 'RARE OPPORTUNITY' FOR CHANGE IN IRAN, FORMER IRANIAN POLITICAL PRISONER SAYS Khamenei made the remarks during a public address Saturday, blaming the U.S. for the unrest and violence and saying some protesters died "in an inhuman, savage manner." U.S.-based Iranian Human Rights Activists News Agency estimates that more than 3,000 people were killed over roughly three weeks of unrest, though Iranian authorities have not released an official death toll and other estimates have been higher. Videos authenticated by BBC Persian and BBC Verify show Iranian security forces firing on demonstrators during the unrest. Trump told Politico on Saturday that "it’s time to look for new leadership in Iran," after being read a series of hostile posts from Khamenei’s X account accusing the president of responsibility for the violence. "What he is guilty of, as the leader of a country, is the complete destruction of the country and the use of violence at levels never seen before," Trump said, according to Politico. "Leadership is about respect, not fear and death." Fox News' Jasmine Baehr contributed to this report.

At least 5,000 people have been killed in protests in Iran, including about 500 security personnel, an ‍Iranian official in the region said on Sunday, citing verified figures and accusing “terrorists and armed rioters” of killing “innocent Iranians”. The nationwide protests erupted on December 28 over economic hardship and grew over two weeks into widespread demonstrations calling for the end of clerical rule – resulting in the deadliest unrest since the 1979 Islamic revolution. US President...

Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei on Saturday said “several thousand people” died in this month’s anti-government demonstrations, his first acknowledgment of the deadly scale of the unrest. Some of those were killed “brutally and inhumanely”, Khamenei said without offering details in a public meeting broadcast on state TV. He accused the US and Israel of aiding the killings and said the Islamic Republic had evidence to support the claim. Iran did not intend to push the country towards...

A hardline cleric leading Friday prayers in Iran’s capital demanded the death penalty for protesters detained in a nationwide crackdown and directly threatened US President Donald Trump, showing the rage gripping authorities in the Islamic Republic over demonstrations that have challenged their authority. Ayatollah Ahmad Khatami’s sermon, carried by Iranian state radio, sparked chants from those gathered for prayers, including: “Armed hypocrites should be put to death!” Executions, as well as...

The Group of Seven (G7) nations warned Iran on Wednesday that they are prepared to impose additional sanctions on the country if the regime continues with its violent crackdown on protests. In a joint statement, the foreign ministers of Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, the U.K. and the U.S., joined by the European Union’s high representative, expressed "grave concern" over the reports of mass casualties, widespread injuries and alleged human rights abuses as a result of the spiraling unrest. IRANIAN DISSIDENT UNLOADS ON AMERICAN LEFT'S SILENCE ON DEADLY PROTESTS The development comes as Human Rights Activist News Agency ( HRANA ) announced the deaths of 2,403 protesters. Other reports say the death toll is over 3,000 , with the real number likely to be higher. "We, the G7 Foreign Ministers of Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, the United Kingdom and the United States of America and the High Representative of the European Union, are gravely concerned by the developments surrounding the ongoing protests in Iran," the statement said. "We strongly oppose the intensification of the Iranian authorities’ brutal repression of the Iranian people, who have been bravely voicing legitimate aspirations for a better life, dignity and freedom, since the end of December 2025," it read. The G7 also stated it was "deeply alarmed at reports of deaths and injuries" and condemned what it described as the "deliberate use of violence and the killing of protesters, arbitrary detention, and intimidation tactics by security forces against demonstrators." IRAN PUSHES FOR FAST TRIALS AND EXECUTIONS OF SUSPECTS DETAINED IN PROTESTS DESPITE TRUMP'S WARNING: REPORT The protests, which began Dec. 28, came amid deepening economic distress and the collapse of the Iranian rial. They quickly spread nationwide and evolved into broader anti-government demonstrations. The G7 ministers also urged Iranian authorities to show restraint and end the use of force against civilians, calling on Tehran to respect its international obligations and protect the rights to "freedom of expression, to seek, receive and impart information, and the freedom of association and peaceful assembly, without fear of reprisal." While the joint statement did not list specific new sanctions, it made clear that additional action remains on the table, signaling unity among leading Western powers. "Iran’s continued crackdown in violation of international human rights obligations could prompt further restrictive measures from the G7," the ministers said.

Despite President Donald Trump's warnings, Iran’s chief justice called for fast trials and executions of suspects detained in the ongoing anti-government demonstrations, a report said Wednesday. The remarks from Gholamhossein Mohseni-Ejei come as the death toll in the protests has risen to at least 2,571, the U.S.-based Human Rights Activists News Agency said. Other reports say the death toll is more than 3,000, with the real number likely to be even higher. "If we want to do a job, we should do it now. If we want to do something, we have to do it quickly," Mohseni-Ejei said in a video shared by Iranian state television, according to The Associated Press. "If it becomes late, two months, three months later, it doesn’t have the same effect. If we want to do something, we have to do that fast." Trump warned Iran about executions in an interview with CBS News that aired on Tuesday. SOME US MILITARY PERSONNEL TOLD TO LEAVE MIDDLE EAST BASES, US OFFICIAL CONFIRMS "We will take very strong action," Trump said. "If they do such a thing, we will take very strong action." "We don’t want to see what’s happening in Iran happen. And you know, if they want to have protests, that’s one thing, when they start killing thousands of people, and now you’re telling me about hanging — we’ll see how that works out for them. It’s not going to work out good," the president added. IRANIAN REGIME TARGETING STARLINK USERS IN BID TO SQUASH LEAKING PROTEST FOOTAGE Trump also vowed on Tuesday that those responsible for killing anti-regime demonstrators will "pay a big price." " Iranian Patriots , KEEP PROTESTING — TAKE OVER YOUR INSTITUTIONS!" Trump wrote on Truth Social. "Save the names of the killers and abusers. They will pay a big price." "I have canceled all meetings with Iranian Officials until the senseless killing of protesters STOPS. HELP IS ON ITS WAY," he added. Fox News’ Anders Hagstrom and The Associated Press contributed to this report.

White House envoy Steve Witkoff reportedly held a secret meeting with exiled Iranian crown prince Reza Pahlavi over the weekend as the regime faces intensifying protests. The alleged meeting was first reported by Axios , which cited a senior U.S. official, and said the conversation occurred over the weekend. This would represent the first high-level meeting between the Trump administration and the Iranian opposition since the anti-regime protests erupted 15 days ago. Axios noted that Pahlavi has been trying to paint himself as the "transitional" leader if the regime falls. Pahlavi's father, the late Shah Mohammad Reza Pahlavi, was deposed during the 1979 Islamic Revolution, which transformed the country from a monarchy to an Islamic republic. IRANIAN DISSIDENT UNLOADS ON AMERICAN LEFT'S SILENCE ON DEADLY PROTESTS A U.S. senior official who reportedly spoke to Axios was surprised that Pahlavi's name was being chanted at many of the demonstrations. "There has been an ascendance of Pahlavi. They are chanting his name in demonstrations in many cities and it seems to be happening organically," the U.S. official told Axios. Pahlavi has recently urged President Donald Trump to intervene, praising him as a "man of peace." "Mr. President, this is an urgent and immediate call for your attention, support, and action," Pahlavi wrote in a Jan. 9 post on X. He accused Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei of using the blackout to carry out a brutal crackdown and encouraged Trump to "be prepared to intervene to help the people of Iran ." IRAN REGIME FACES 'BEGINNING OF THE END' AS EXILED CROWN PRINCE SEES 'GOLDEN OPPORTUNITY' Trump recently said in an interview with Hugh Hewitt that Iran has "been told very strongly, even more strongly than I’m speaking to you right now, that if they do that, they’re going to have to pay hell," according to The Associated Press . However, in the same interview, the president seemed to cast doubt on the idea that he would meet with Pahlavi. Witkoff's meeting would present a significant departure from the president's recent statements. While the president has yet to take a public stance in favor of Pahlavi, he has been open about his support for the people of Iran. "Iranian Patriots, KEEP PROTESTING - TAKE OVER YOUR INSTITUTIONS!!! Save the names of the killers and abusers. They will pay a big price," Trump wrote in a Truth Social post on Tuesday. "I have cancelled all meetings with Iranian Officials until the senseless killing of protesters STOPS. HELP IS ON ITS WAY. MIGA!!!" In the early days of the protests, Trump warned the regime that the U.S. was "locked and loaded" and ready to take action if the Iranian government used violence against protesters. However, the U.S. has yet to make concrete moves despite reports of protesters being killed and Trump's latest statement. The White House did not immediately respond to Fox News Digital's request for comment.

Iran is reportedly set to execute its first protester in connection with mass arrests over the widespread anti-regime demonstrations, according to human rights groups. Erfan Soltani, 26, is scheduled to be hanged to death on Wednesday after he was arrested last week during the protests in Karaj, the NGO groups Iran Human Rights (IHRNGO) and National Union for Democracy in Iran (NUFD) said. "His family was told that he had been sentenced to death and that the sentence is due to be carried out on 14 January," sources told IHRNGO. IHRNGO Director Mahmood Amiry-Moghaddam said in a statement that "the widespread killing of civilian protesters in recent days by the Islamic Republic is reminiscent of the regime’s crimes in the 1980s, which have been recognized as crimes against humanity." RAND PAUL SAYS TRUMP'S THREAT TO BOMB IRAN 'IS NOT THE ANSWER': NOT THE 'JOB OF THE AMERICAN GOVERNMENT' "The risk of mass and extrajudicial executions of protesters is extremely serious," the statement added. "Under the Responsibility to Protect, the international community has a duty to protect civilian protesters against mass killings by the Islamic Republic and its Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps. We call on people and civil society in democratic countries to remind their governments of this responsibility." The NUFD is calling for international support to halt Soltani’s execution, stressing that his "only crime was calling for freedom" for Iran. "Be his voice," the group wrote on X. Soltani was allegedly denied access to a lawyer, according to the NUFD. According to The US Sun, Soltani was charged with "waging war against God," a crime punishable by death in Iran. Soltani’s alleged execution has yet to be independently verified amid a communications blackout as the country's leaders seek to quell the dissent. More than 10,000 people have reportedly been arrested in recent weeks for participating in the anti-government protests sparked by Iran’s failing economy, according to human rights groups, and many have begun to demand total regime change as the demonstrations continue. Tehran's crackdown on the demonstrations has also led to more than 500 deaths, human rights groups said. U.S. President Donald Trump has warned Tehran that violence against the protesters would be met with a U.S. military response, saying on Friday that they "better not start shooting, because we’ll start shooting, too." "Iran is looking at FREEDOM, perhaps like never before. The USA stands ready to help!!!" Trump wrote on Truth Social on Saturday. The White House confirmed on Monday that Trump was weighing whether to bomb Iran. White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt told reporters that diplomacy remains Trump’s first option, but that the president "has shown he’s unafraid to use military options if and when he deems necessary." "He certainly doesn’t want to see people being killed in the streets of Tehran. And unfortunately that’s something we are seeing right now," she added. IRAN'S KHAMENEI ISSUES DIRECT WARNING TO UNITED STATES IN RUSSIAN-LANGUAGE POSTS But many congressional lawmakers, including some within the Republican Party, have criticized the president's threats to bomb Iran, with several arguing that he needs approval from Congress under the Constitution, that the U.S. should not be involved in another foreign affair and that military action could rally Iranian protesters behind the Ayatollah. "We wish them the best," Sen. Rand Paul , R-Ky., said on Sunday. "We wish freedom and liberation the best across the world, but I don't think it's the job of the American government to be involved with every freedom movement around the world … If you bomb the government, do you then rally people to their flag who are upset with the Ayatollah, but then say, 'Well, gosh, we can't have a foreign government invading or bombing our country?' It tends to have people rally to the cause." "Plus, there is this sticking point of the Constitution that we won't let presidents bomb countries just when they feel like it," he added. "They're supposed to ask the people, through the Congress, for permission." Iranian officials have threatened to retaliate against U.S. troops in the region if the Pentagon were to strike, with Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi saying that Tehran is "fully prepared for war."

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio discussed the possibility of U.S. intervention in Iran, according to a report. The two leaders spoke by phone Saturday as Israel is on "high alert," preparing for the possibility of U.S. military intervention in Iran, according to Reuters, citing multiple Israeli sources. The report comes as nationwide anti-regime demonstrations across Iran hit the two-week mark. On Saturday, the Iranian regime triggered an internet "kill switch" in an apparent effort to conceal alleged abuses by security forces and as protests against it surged nationwide, according to a cybersecurity expert. The blackout reduced internet access to a fraction of normal levels. KEANE WARNS IRANIAN REGIME TO TAKE TRUMP 'DEAD SERIOUS' ON PROTEST KILLING THREAT AMID ONGOING DEMONSTRATIONS On Sunday, Iran’s parliament speaker warned that the U.S. military and Israel would be " legitimate targets " if America strikes the Islamic Republic. Parliament Speaker Mohammad Bagher Qalibaf issued the threat as lawmakers rushed the dais in the Iranian parliament, shouting, "Death to America!" according to The Associated Press. President Donald Trump offered support for the protesters on Saturday, writing on Truth Social that "Iran is looking at FREEDOM, perhaps like never before. The USA stands ready to help!!!" IRANIAN MILITARY LEADER THREATENS PREEMPTIVE ATTACK AFTER TRUMP COMMENTS At a news conference Friday, Trump said Iran was facing mounting pressure as unrest spreads across the country. "Iran’s in big trouble," he said. "It looks to me that the people are taking over certain cities that nobody thought were really possible just a few weeks ago. We’re watching the situation very carefully." The president said the U.S. would respond forcefully if the regime resorts to mass violence. "We’ll be hitting them very hard where it hurts. And that doesn’t mean boots on the ground, but it means hitting them very, very hard where it hurts," he said. Fox News Digital reached out to the State Department and White House for comment. Fox News Digital's Emma Bussey, Brie Stimson and The Associated Press contributed to this report.

Armed protesters clashed Friday with security forces in the Tehranpars neighborhood of Iran’s capital , as nationwide two-week-long anti-regime demonstrations became more violent in the country. Repeated gunfire could be heard for minutes in cellphone video sent to Iranian TV and shared with Fox News Digital as Iran’s State Security Forces clashed with so-called "rebellious youth." In the video, people on the streets were seen running and shouts of "Death to Khamenei!" "Death to the dictator!" "Shame on you!" and "We are all together!" could be heard. WHO WOULD RULE IF THE ISLAMIC REPUBLIC FAILS? The protests entered their 14th day on Saturday, with 65 killed, including children, and 2,311 arrested by Friday, according to the Human Rights Activists News Agency in Iran. Authorities imposed a sweeping internet blackout this week that largely cut the country off from the outside world and escalated threats of harsh punishment while anti-regime protests spread. TRUMP SAYS US WILL INTERVENE IF IRAN STARTS KILLING PROTESTERS: ‘LOCKED AND LOADED’ The protests expanded to 190 cities in Iran by Saturday, according to the National Council of Resistance in Iran. "By defending the demonstrators, the rebellious youths did not allow the flames of the uprising to be extinguished," dissident politician Maryam Rajavi said in a statement. " They have shown their determination to triumph over the regime." At a news conference in Washington, D.C., on Friday, President Donald Trump said Iran was facing mounting pressure as unrest spreads across the country. "Iran’s in big trouble," Trump said. "It looks to me that the people are taking over certain cities that nobody thought were really possible just a few weeks ago. We’re watching the situation very carefully." Trump warned that the U.S. would respond forcefully if the regime resorts to mass violence. "We’ll be hitting them very hard where it hurts. And that doesn’t mean boots on the ground, but it means hitting them very, very hard where it hurts," he said. As of Saturday, Lufthansa, flydubai, Turkish Airlines, AJet, Pegasus, Qatar Airways and Austrian Airlines had all suspended flights to Iran. Fox News' Efrat Lachter and Lucas Tomlinson contributed to this report.

An anti-regime protester scaled the balcony of Iran’s Embassy in London on Friday and tore down the Islamic Republic’s flag, replacing it with Iran’s pre-1979 "Lion and Sun" emblem, video shows. The demonstrator climbed the front of the embassy building in Kensington before ripping down the regime’s flag and hoisting the historic symbol associated with Iran’s monarchy prior to the 1979 Islamic Revolution as a large crowd of anti-regime protesters cheered on. The Metropolitan Police said officers responded to the scene and made two arrests — one for aggravated trespass and assault on an emergency worker, and another for aggravated trespass. Police said they are also seeking another individual for trespass. It was not immediately clear whether the protester who tore down the flag was among those arrested. Fox News Digital reached out to Iran’s Embassy in London for comment but did not receive a response by the time of publication. EXILED IRANIAN PRINCE SAYS REGIME ‘VERY CLOSE TO COLLAPSING' AMID NATIONWIDE UNREST The embassy protest comes as Iran faces its most significant wave of unrest in years. President Trump has warned the regime that the U.S. will protect protesters if necessary. Potkin Azarmehr, a British-Iranian journalist, said the current unrest stands in sharp contrast to Iran’s 2009 Green Movement, when protesters openly questioned whether the Obama administration supported them. "What a contrast to Obama’s time, when protesters in Iran were chanting, ‘Obama, are you with us or with them?’" Azarmehr told Fox News Digital. "Any international support, whether at the grassroots or government level, is encouraging," he said. He said global attention matters to protesters on the ground, but questioned the lack of visible demonstrations by Western activist groups. "The question is where are the Western activist elite protesters? Why are they not protesting? Are they on the side of the ayatollahs? An archaic religious apartheid?" GRAHAM WARNS IRANIAN AYATOLLAH: 'TRUMP IS GONNA KILL YOU' IF INTERNAL CRACKDOWN CONTINUES Demonstrations that began on Dec. 28 over economic grievances have since spread nationwide, evolving into a direct challenge to Iran’s clerical leadership. Solidarity protests with Iranian demonstrators have also emerged in other major European cities, including Paris and Berlin. A protest also took place outside the White House in Washington, D.C. As of Saturday, at least 72 people have been killed and more than 2,300 detained in Iran-based protests, according to the U.S.-based Human Rights Activists News Agency. Some protests have included chants supporting Iran’s former monarch, Shah Mohammad Reza Pahlavi, who died in 1980. His son, Reza Pahlavi, has publicly called for continued demonstrations. The Iranian regime has also cut nationwide internet access. At a press conference in Washington, D.C., on Friday, Trump said Iran was facing mounting pressure. "Iran’s in big trouble," Trump said. "It looks to me that the people are taking over certain cities that nobody thought were really possible just a few weeks ago. We’re watching the situation very carefully." Trump warned the United States would respond forcefully if the regime resorts to mass violence. "We’ll be hitting them very hard where it hurts," Trump said. "And that doesn’t mean boots on the ground, but it means hitting them very, very hard where it hurts." Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei has signaled a coming clampdown despite U.S. warnings, according to The Associated Press. Tehran escalated its threats Saturday, with Iran’s attorney general, Mohammad Movahedi Azad, warning that anyone taking part in protests would be considered an "enemy of God," a charge that carries the death penalty. The statement, carried by Iranian state television, said even those who "helped rioters" would face the charge. "Prosecutors must carefully and without delay, by issuing indictments , prepare the grounds for the trial and decisive confrontation with those who, by betraying the nation and creating insecurity, seek foreign domination over the country," the statement read. "Proceedings must be conducted without leniency, compassion or indulgence." Fox News’ Efrat Lachter, Greg Norman and The Associated Press contributed to this report.

Iran’s nationwide unrest entered its thirteenth day Friday, as authorities imposed a sweeping internet blackout that largely cut the country off from the outside world and escalated threats of harsh punishment while anti-regime protests spread. Iran Human Rights (IHRNGO) reported that at least 51 protesters, including nine children, have been killed, with hundreds more injured. At a press conference in Washington, D.C., on Friday, President Donald Trump said Iran was facing mounting pressure as unrest spreads across the country. "Iran’s in big trouble," Trump said. "It looks to me that the people are taking over certain cities that nobody thought were really possible just a few weeks ago. We’re watching the situation very carefully." Trump warned that the United States would respond forcefully if the regime resorts to mass violence. "We’ll be hitting them very hard where it hurts. And that doesn’t mean boots on the ground, but it means hitting them very, very hard where it hurts." IRAN ON THE BRINK AS PROTESTERS MOVE TO TAKE TWO CITIES, APPEAL TO TRUMP Trump said the administration hopes such action will not be necessary. "We don’t want that to happen," he said. "There have been cases like this where President Obama totally backed down, but this is something pretty incredible that’s happening in Iran. It’s an amazing thing to watch." Trump blamed Iran’s leadership for the unrest, saying the regime had mistreated its people. "They’ve done a bad job. They’ve treated the people very badly, and now they’re being paid back," he said. "So let’s see what happens. We’ll watch it. We’re watching it very closely." Banafsheh Zand, an Iranian-American journalist and editor of the Iran So Far Away Substack, said demonstrations were expected to intensify later Friday despite the communications blackout. "People are going to be pouring out into the streets," Zand told Fox News Digital. She described the unrest as unprecedented in the Islamic Republic ’s history. "Absolutely, this is the first time in 47 years. February 12 will mark 47 years that we have this opportunity," she said. A senior U.S. official told Fox News there had been no change to the U.S. military posture in the Middle East in response to the unrest, adding that U.S. Central Command was closely monitoring developments, particularly around Friday prayers and the regime’s response. Thirteen days into the protests, the leaders of France, the United Kingdom and Germany issued their first joint declaration on the situation in Iran. "We are deeply concerned about reports of violence by Iranian security forces and strongly condemn the killing of protesters," the statement said. "The Iranian authorities have the responsibility to protect their own population and must allow for freedom of expression and peaceful assembly without fear of reprisal. We urge the Iranian authorities to exercise restraint, refrain from violence, and uphold the fundamental rights of Iran’s citizens." TRUMP SAYS US WILL INTERVENE IF IRAN STARTS KILLING PROTESTERS: ‘LOCKED AND LOADED’ The opposition-linked National Council of Resistance of Iran (NCRI) said Friday that security forces killed a significant number of protesters overnight in several cities, particularly Tehran and Karaj. The group said repression forces opened fire on civilians in the Fardis area of Karaj, leaving at least 10 young people killed or wounded in one incident—claims that could not be independently verified. The leader of the NCRI, Maryam Rajavi, told Fox News Digital, "The developments of recent months have proven a fundamental truth: although the regime ruling Iran has been severely weakened and has suffered heavy blows, it will not collapse under the weight of its own failures. Its overthrow will not come from outside Iran, nor will it be delivered by the will of foreign capitals. As I have repeatedly emphasized, change can only be achieved by the Iranian people themselves, through an organized and nationwide resistance that is present on the ground — one capable of confronting a ruthless dictatorship." According to Reuters, Iran was effectively isolated after authorities shut down internet access in an effort to curb the demonstrations, sharply limiting the flow of information out of the country. Phone calls into Iran were failing, and at least 17 flights between Dubai and Iran were canceled, according to Dubai Airport’s website. Videos verified by Reuters showed buildings and vehicles ablaze in several cities as unrest intensified. Footage verified by Reuters from Tehran showed hundreds of demonstrators marching, with at least one woman heard shouting, " Death to Khamenei !" Other chants included slogans supporting the monarchy. IRANIAN MILITARY LEADER THREATENS PREEMPTIVE ATTACK AFTER TRUMP COMMENTS In Zahedan, where Iran’s Baluch minority predominates, rights group Hengaw reported that a protest march following Friday prayers had been met with gunfire, wounding several people, according to Reuters. Iranian state television aired images of clashes and fires , while the semi-official Tasnim news agency reported that several police officers were killed overnight, underscoring the increasingly violent nature of the confrontations. In a televised address Friday, Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei vowed not to back down. Reuters reported that while the unrest has not yet drawn as broad a cross-section of society as some previous protest waves, Iranian authorities appear more vulnerable due to a dire economic situation and the aftermath of last year’s war with Israel and the United States. IRANIAN PROTESTERS RENAME TEHRAN STREET AFTER TRUMP, PLEAD 'DON'T LET THEM KILL US' AMID CRACKDOWN The protests began late last month with shopkeepers and bazaar merchants demonstrating against accelerating inflation and the collapse of the rial , which lost about half its value against the dollar last year. Inflation topped 40% in December. The unrest soon spread to universities and provincial cities, with young men clashing with security forces. State television broadcast overnight images of burning buses, cars and motorbikes as well as fires at underground railway stations and banks. In the Caspian Sea port city of Rasht, a state TV journalist standing amid the flames said, "This looks like a war zone – all the shops have been destroyed." Reuters noted that Iran’s opposition abroad remains fragmented, with disputed levels of support inside the country for figures such as Reza Pahlavi, the exiled son of the late Shah of Iran. Pahlavi urged Iranians to take to the streets in a social media post, while President Donald Trump said Thursday he would not meet Pahlavi and was "not sure that it would be appropriate" to support him," he stated in an interview with Hugh Hewitt. Despite the unrest, Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araqchi said the likelihood of foreign military intervention was "very low," adding that Oman’s foreign minister would visit Tehran on Saturday, according to Reuters. The Islamic Republic has weathered repeated waves of nationwide unrest over the decades, including major protests in 1999, 2009, 2019 and 2022. Analysts say the coming days will test whether the current uprising can sustain momentum under intensified repression — or meet a similar fate. Reuters contributed to this article.

Exiled Iranian Crown Prince Reza Pahlavi is calling on President Donald Trump to intervene after the Islamic regime implemented a nationwide internet blackout amid intensifying anti-government protests. He said the president has proven himself to be a "man of peace and a man of your word." "Mr. President, this is an urgent and immediate call for your attention, support, and action. Last night you saw the millions of brave Iranians in the streets facing down live bullets. Today, they are facing not just bullets but a total communications blackout. No Internet. No landlines," Pahlavi wrote on X. "Ali Khamenei, fearing the end of his criminal regime at the hands of the people and, with the help of your powerful promise to support the protesters, has threatened the people on the streets with a brutal crackdown," Pahlavi added. "And he wants to use this blackout to murder these young heroes." IRANIAN SUPREME LEADER SAYS PROTESTERS 'RUINING THEIR OWN STREETS' TO PLEASE TRUMP Iranian Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei recently took a swipe at Trump, saying that protesters in Iran were "ruining their own streets" to appease the U.S. president, according to The Associated Press . Palhavi added that he believed Trump's threat to intervene if the Iranian government used violence against protesters "kept the regime's thugs at bay" during Thursday night's protests. The prince called on the people of Iran to demonstrate on Thursday night and renewed his call for more protests on Friday night. Recently, Palhavi predicted that the regime was " very close to collapsing " amid the nationwide unrest. "Over a hundred cities and millions of people on the street chanting ‘Death to the dictator,’" Pahlavi told "Hannity" on Tuesday. "The regime is crumbling and is very close to collapsing," he added. IRAN REGIME CUTS NATIONWIDE INTERNET ACCESS AS PROTESTS CLAIM 44 LIVES ACROSS MAJOR CITIES He said the movement is "unprecedented" and differs from past efforts, pointing to participation from Iran’s powerful merchant class. As of Friday, at least 36 people had been killed, including 34 protesters and two members of security and law enforcement forces, according to the Human Rights Activists News Agency . Trump said in a Truth Social post on Jan. 2 that the U.S. was "locked and loaded and ready to go" defend protesters if the regime used violence against them. EXILED IRANIAN PRINCE SAYS REGIME ‘VERY CLOSE TO COLLAPSING’ AMID NATIONWIDE UNREST "If Iran shoots and violently kills peaceful protesters, which is their custom, the United States of America will come to their rescue. We are locked and loaded and ready to go," Trump wrote. Trump reiterated the statement during an interview with Hugh Hewitt that aired on Thursday. He said that Iran has "been told very strongly, even more strongly than I’m speaking to you right now, that if they do that, they’re going to have to pay hell," according to the AP. However, in the same interview, the president seemed to cast doubt on the idea that he would meet with Pahlavi. "I’m not sure that it would be appropriate at this point to do that as president," Trump said, according to the AP. "I think that we should let everybody go out there, and we see who emerges." The president also spoke with Fox News' Sean Hannity about the possibility of intervening in Iran. During his appearance on "Hannity," Trump said that the U.S. would hit the regime "very hard" if it mistreated protesters. "We’re ready to do it. If they do that, we can hit them hard," Trump told "Hannity." Video from Tehran showed business owners shutting their shops in the Grand Bazaar and facing off with security forces in riot gear. Meanwhile, video from other parts of Iran have shown large crowds with thousands taking to the streets as they decry the country's worsening economic conditions. On Thursday, the regime plunged Iran into a nationwide internet blackout as the protests intensified. Live network data from NetBlocks showed internet traffic collapsing in the troubled nation on Thursday evening, shortly after calls circulated for mass protests at 8 p.m. local time. Fox News Digital reached out to the White House, the State Department and a representative for Pahlavi for comment. Fox News Digital's Madison Colombo and Emma Bussey contributed to this report.

Iran’s government has said its citizens will be given a monthly payment equivalent to about $7 to ease economic pressures as protests spread across the country, according to reports. The announcement was reported to have been made on Monday by the government spokesperson, Fatemeh Mohajerani, on Iranian State TV. She said the measure was aimed at "preserving households" purchasing power, controlling inflation and ensuring food security," per The New York Times . The outlet also said the plan represents a shift away from long-standing import subsidies toward direct assistance for citizens. IRAN CRACKDOWN RATTLES MIDDLE EAST AS ANALYSTS WEIGH US OPTIONS SHORT OF MILITARY INTERVENTION Under the proposal, roughly $10 billion that had been spent each year to subsidize certain imports, will now be given directly to the public. Eligible Iranians will get one million Iranian tomans, which is around $7, and in the form of credit that can be used to buy goods. The labor minister said the payments would be handed out to about 80 million people, which is the majority of Iran’s population. PROTESTS SPREAD ACROSS IRAN AS REGIME THREATENS US FORCES AS 'LEGITIMATE TARGETS' AFTER TRUMP WARNING Iran’s economy has been hit by sanctions and declining oil revenues which have led to protests. T he currency has lost more than half its value against the U.S. dollar. The Statistical Center of Iran, a state-run body under Iran’s regime, reported in December that the average annual inflation rate also reached 42.2%, according to reports . The payments were announced amid widespread protests that included merchants, traders and university students, according to the Times. Marketplaces have been shut down and rallies have been held on campuses. IRAN’S KHAMENEI LASHES OUT AT PROTESTERS AS NATIONWIDE ANTI-REGIME UNREST GROWS As previously reported by Fox News Digital , according to the U.S.-based Human Rights Activists in Iran (HRAI), the intensity of the protests has reached at least 78 cities and 222 locations. Protesters have been demanding the end of the regime controlled by the 86-year-old Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei. The group said the regime has killed at least 20 people , including three children, and arrested 990 people. Khamenei’s security forces have detained more than 40 children, HRAI noted. Fox News Digital's Benjamin Weinthal contributed to this report.

President Donald Trump vowed Sunday evening that the Islamic Republic of Iran will "get hit very hard," if Tehran repeats the killing of protesters, as it has during previous citizen-led revolts against the regime. When asked about his initial comments on protecting Iranian demonstrators during a press gaggle on board Air Force One, Trump said that "We're watching it very closely. If they start killing people like they have in the past, I think they're going to get hit very hard by the United States." Anti-regime protests have engulfed Iran for the last nine days amid Trump’s second threat to intervene on the side of the demonstrators in Iran. TRUMP VOWS TO 'KNOCK THE HELL OUT OF' IRAN IF NUCLEAR PROGRAM IS REBUILT AGAIN AFTER HIGH-STAKES MEETING According to the U.S.-based Human Rights Activists in Iran (HRAI), the intensity of the protests has reached at least 78 cities and 222 locations, with protesters demanding the end of the regime controlled by the 86-year-old Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei. The group said the regime has killed at least 20 people, including three children, and arrested 990 people. Khamenei’s security forces have detained more than 40 children, HRAI noted. Iran expert Shukriya Bradost, who is CEO of Four Sides Security Solutions, told Fox News Digital that "Trump’s warning to the Iranian regime emboldened protesters because it came from a president who had already demonstrated a willingness to confront Tehran directly, most notably by ordering the killing of Qassem Soleimani. For Iranians who felt abandoned during the 2009 Green Movement under the Obama administration, and later disappointed by the Biden administration’s softer approach toward the regime, Trump’s words were seen as credible and empowering." A U.S. military drone strike killed the former Iranian general, Soleimani, in Iraq on Jan. 3, 2020. IRAN KILLING SPREE CONTINUES AS REGIME SETS NEW RECORD FOR 2025 EXECUTIONS, DISSIDENT GROUP SAYS Bradost added, "Today, many Iranians want Trump to maintain that same clarity: to side openly with the Iranian people, not the regime, and to make clear that repression will not be ignored or normalized. "The Islamic Republic is no longer a functional system. The central question now is whether U.S. policy reinforces the Iranian people’s demand for genuine change, or unintentionally helps parts of a collapsing regime survive." Iranian protesters asked during the 2009 protests, "Obama: Are you with us or against us?" Then-President Barack Obama sided with the Islamic Republic at the time. He said in 2022 that he regretted his alliance with Khamenei’s regime during the Green Movement. PROTESTS SPREAD ACROSS IRAN AS REGIME THREATENS US FORCES AS 'LEGITIMATE TARGETS' AFTER TRUMP WARNING Trump’s pro-protest language has breathed additional fire and life into demonstrations, according to close followers of the upheaval blanketing Iran. Mardo Soghom, a veteran Iran expert who has written extensively about the nation, told Fox News Digital that "There is little doubt that President Trump's warning to Iran's Islamic rulers will embolden Iranians, but the fact is that they began their recent protests before Trump made those comments. Most of the Iranians opposed to the regime, especially those inside the country protesting in the streets, are asking for Israeli or U.S. assistance in sort of disarming the regime and neutralizing its forces of repression." He added, "The current round of protests in Iran is different from previous rounds. People are not asking for reforms, but unanimously and categorically they are aiming for regime change. The protests are also more forceful. This time around, the people are less afraid of the notorious security forces and appear more determined." MIKE POMPEO: THE ISLAMIC REPUBLIC IS ON THE ROPES. TIME FOR TRUMP, IRANIANS TO FINISH THE JOB Tehran's options have been limited by Trump's threats and a long-running economic crisis that deepened after Israel, joined by the U.S., launched strikes on the Islamic Republic in June in a 12-day war that pummelled several of Iran's nuclear sites. "These twin pressures have narrowed Tehran's room for maneuver, leaving leaders caught between public anger on the streets and hardening demands and threats from Washington, with few viable options and high risks on every path," one Iranian official told Reuters. The Iranian American campaigner to topple the Islamic Republic, Masih Alinejad, told Fox News that Trump’s "strong message gave hope to the people of Iran." She said after Trump’s first message of protection to the protesters, large numbers of Iranians poured into the streets . She stressed this is the first time in history that a U.S. President "is standing strongly with the people of Iran and not sending appeasement message to the killers." Alinejad urged Trump to evict Iran’s representative at the U.N. and wants the White House to convince Elon Musk to provide Starlink service for internet communications. She called on President Trump to launch U.S. targeted military actions against those who ordered massacres in Iran and killed innocent people.

The Trump administration’s military operation that resulted in the capture of Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro is a devastating setback to the South American nation’s long-term ally, the Islamic Republic of Iran , experts contend. As Iran experiences yet another day of anti-regime protests across the country, Jason Brodsky, the policy director of United Against Nuclear Iran (UANI), who has written about Maduro’s nefarious activities, told Fox News Digital that, " Maduro’s capture will be a blow to Iran’s interests in the Western Hemisphere as he was a longtime ally of Tehran under the banner of anti-imperialism and Americanism in the region." He said, "How much of a blow it will be will depend on who comes to power after Maduro. Iran and Hezbollah have used Venezuela as an operational hub for terrorism, drug trafficking, and power projection in Latin and South America ." CARTEL CONNECTION: HEZBOLLAH AND IRAN EXPLOIT MADURO’S VENEZUELA FOR COCAINE CASH He continued, "Iran had a military partnership with Caracas as well, especially with drones. So Tehran is likely eyeing these developments very warily. Its interests in the region were already weakened after Bolivia’s presidential election, which brought to power a center-right leader who reestablished relations with Israel." In November, Fox News Digital reported that the Islamic Republic was backing Maduro just as the Trump administration stepped up military pressure in the Caribbean and expanded its crackdown on criminal networks tied to the regime in Caracas. Brodsky said, "This will be a strike heard around the world. Iran’s regime will be watching it very closely as President Trump threatened the supreme leader during the 12-Day War. This historic strike adds to the perception of President Trump being unpredictable and risk-ready, which inspires fear in U.S. adversaries and bolsters the credibility of the threat of American military force. This strengthens U.S. deterrence." ON MADURO’S ‘TERROR ISLAND,’ HEZBOLLAH OPERATIVES MOVE IN AS TOURISTS DRIFT OUT The Iranian Foreign Ministry said in a statement that it "strongly condemns the American military attack on Venezuela and the flagrant violation of the national sovereignty and territorial integrity of the country." Potkin Azarmehr, a British-Iranian expert on Iran, told Fox News Digital that "Every fall of a dictator who is allied with the Ayatollahs is both a boost to the morale of the people in Iran and a setback for the ruling mullahs." PROTESTS SPREAD ACROSS IRAN AS REGIME THREATENS US FORCES AS 'LEGITIMATE TARGETS' AFTER TRUMP WARNING He added, "The Islamic Republic saw its ‘axis of resistance’ fall apart in the region. Now it’s witnessing its partner in crime further away toppled. This will seriously damage the regime’s revenues and resources. Many of the ruling officials must now be tempted to defect before it's too late." Iran’s axis of resistance was the troika alliance consisting of the now-defunct Bashar al-Assad regime in Syria and the weakened Hezbollah terrorist movement in Lebanon . Fox News' Efrat Lachter contributed to this report.