Iran Releases Official Protest Death Toll of 3,117 as Foreign Minister Repeats 'Everything We Have' Retaliation Threat Against U.S.
State media, citing the Martyrs Foundation, announced an official death toll of 3,117 from weeks of nationwide protests — a count substantially lower than independent tallies from the U.S.-based Human Rights Activists News Agency and other groups amid a near‑total internet blackout and mass arrests. Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi reiterated in a Wall Street Journal op‑ed that Iran would retaliate "with everything we have" if the U.S. attacks, even as Washington weighs options from sanctions and cyber operations to possible strikes and has repositioned naval forces toward the region.
📌 Key Facts
- Iran’s state TV and the Martyrs Foundation published an official protest death toll of 3,117; that figure is substantially lower than independent and activist tallies (HRANA and others) that report several thousand to more than 4,500 deaths, with some opposition sources and unverified reports giving much higher ranges — verification remains difficult because of a near‑total internet and international phone blackout since Jan. 8.
- The unrest began Dec. 28 with Tehran merchants striking over economic grievances and rapidly spread nationwide — organizers and activists report hundreds of protests across all 31 provinces and several hundred cities and university campuses; HRANA and other groups say thousands of gatherings and tens of thousands of arrests (reported arrest totals exceed 20,000–26,000).
- Iran’s security response has been severe: authorities imposed a nationwide communications blackout, deployed riot police, IRGC and Basij units, and (according to doctors, activists and eyewitnesses) used live ammunition, heavy machine guns and snipers; hospitals reported being overwhelmed with traumatic injuries and mass arrests, and Iranian judicial officials have threatened expedited trials and death‑penalty charges for participants or those who 'helped rioters.'
- Iranian leaders have framed the unrest as foreign‑backed: Supreme Leader Ayatollah Khamenei and state media blamed the U.S. and Israel, called protesters 'vandals' and for the first time acknowledged 'several thousand' killed; Parliament Speaker Mohammad‑Bagher Qalibaf warned that U.S. bases, ships and Israel would be 'legitimate targets' if America attacked.
- The U.S. response has combined public threats, diplomacy and non‑kinetic options: President Trump repeatedly warned the U.S. would hit Iran 'very, very hard where it hurts' if protesters are killed or executed, convened national‑security briefings, announced new secondary tariffs (25% on countries doing business with Iran), approved Starlink access to Iran, and has weighed measures from cyber operations and information campaigns to carrier‑group signaling and possible strikes.
- At the same time, back‑channel diplomacy has continued: Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi and U.S. envoy Steve Witkoff maintained direct communications during the crisis, and Tehran privately signaled willingness to engage even while publicly denouncing U.S. actions.
- Iran’s Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi used a Wall Street Journal op‑ed to warn that Iran would retaliate 'with everything we have' if the U.S. launches renewed military attacks, reiterating Tehran’s readiness to strike regional and U.S. military targets and framing part of the unrest as violent and armed.
- The crisis has prompted international concern and action: the U.N. Security Council and the U.N. Human Rights Council convened emergency sessions, the G7 and EU discussed additional measures, Britain closed its embassy in Tehran and several countries adjusted diplomatic and military postures in the region as tensions and the humanitarian toll mounted.
📊 Analysis & Commentary (5)
Scott Anderson on Why Iran’s Real Revolution Might Be Coming
"Scott Anderson argues that the nationwide, economically driven protests in Iran — despite harsh crackdowns and internet blackouts and amid risky international rhetoric — contain the social and structural elements that could evolve into a real revolutionary challenge to the regime, though outcomes remain uncertain and contingent on elite splits and protest persistence."
The Left’s Deafening Silence on Iran
"An opinion critique arguing that the American left’s muted response to Iran’s nationwide protests and violent government crackdown exposes a troubling moral double standard that abandons Iranian pro‑democracy demonstrators and weakens human‑rights advocacy."
Iran's collapse or survival hinges on one choice inside the Revolutionary Guard
"The Fox News opinion argues that Iran’s current unrest is a systemic crisis made uniquely dangerous by economic collapse and military setbacks, and that the regime’s fate ultimately depends on whether the Revolutionary Guard continues to uphold the clerical leadership rather than on external condemnation alone."
Women's Activism
"An opinion piece framing the Iranian unrest as a women‑led struggle that has altered the political landscape, urging robust non‑military international support (communications access, targeted sanctions, refugee protections) while warning against kinetic intervention that could imperil protesters."
Iran’s Regime Defends Its Crackdown
"A pro‑regime opinion piece defending Iran’s internet blackout and security sweep, arguing protests were initially peaceful, were infiltrated by 'terrorist' actors, and that communications restrictions were a necessary, temporary counterterror measure as authorities dismantle violent cells."
🔬 Explanations (3)
Deeper context and explanatory frameworks for understanding this story
Phenomenon: Intensifying nationwide protests against the Iranian regime
Explanation: Protests were initially triggered by economic grievances among shopkeepers in Tehran's Grand Bazaar due to the collapse of the Iranian economy, including high inflation and shortages, which quickly escalated into broader demands for political freedom amid longstanding government repression and corruption; these are exacerbated by external factors like ongoing sanctions and recent conflicts with Israel that have weakened the regime's position
Evidence: Reports indicate protests began with economic complaints and spread to 17 provinces, evolving into anti-regime chants; economic data shows battered economy from sanctions and war losses, with historical patterns of protests since 2009 showing similar escalation from economic to political demands
Alternative view: Some analyses emphasize internal corruption and repression as primary drivers over external sanctions, while others highlight generational shifts in youth demanding secular governance
💡 This explanation complicates the coverage's focus on unprecedented commitment and regime crumbling by highlighting systemic economic failures and external pressures as root causes, rather than just spontaneous public resolve
Phenomenon: Protesters directly appealing to President Trump for support
Explanation: Trump's public threats to intervene if the regime kills demonstrators, combined with his history of 'maximum pressure' sanctions against Iran, position him as a perceived ally to protesters seeking international protection and leverage against government crackdowns
Evidence: Videos show protesters renaming streets after Trump and pleading 'Don't let them kill us,' following Trump's warnings; this aligns with patterns where US support emboldens demonstrators during periods of unrest
💡 It adds depth to the coverage's description of appeals by explaining the strategic role of US policy and Trump's rhetoric in encouraging such actions, challenging a simplistic view of organic anti-regime sentiment
Phenomenon: Involvement of traditional merchant class in protests and strikes
Explanation: Economic pressures on Iran's bazaar merchants, including inflation, foreign exchange shortages, and sanctions-related costs, have led to strikes and protests as a turning point, reflecting broader dissatisfaction with government economic mismanagement
Evidence: Strikes reported at major markets like Tehran's Grand Bazaar, with shop closures and chants against leadership; data on rising costs and subsidy cuts support how these factors squeeze the merchant class, historically influential in Iranian politics
Alternative view: Alternative views suggest cultural shifts among merchants towards secularism, but economic factors are predominant in analyses
💡 This shifts the narrative from general unrest to specific economic drivers among key societal groups, complicating the coverage's emphasis on widespread commitment without detailing financial incentives
📰 Source Timeline (68)
Follow how coverage of this story developed over time
January 21, 2026
6:21 PM
Iran says 3,117 killed in recent protests, issuing lower death toll than human rights activists
New information:
- Iranian state TV, citing the Martyrs Foundation, has issued the first official death toll from the protests: 3,117 killed, including 2,427 civilians and security forces, with no details on the remaining fatalities.
- The U.S.-based Human Rights Activists News Agency (HRANA) now estimates 4,560 deaths, notably higher than Tehran’s figure, highlighting a significant discrepancy between official and independent counts.
- Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi used a Wall Street Journal opinion piece to make his most explicit threat yet that Iran will respond 'with everything we have' if attacked again, arguing the 'violent phase' of unrest lasted less than 72 hours and blaming armed demonstrators.
- The article notes that the USS Abraham Lincoln carrier strike group has transited the Strait of Malacca and is moving toward the Middle East, as U.S. jets and equipment shift after the Venezuela operation that seized Nicolás Maduro.
- Iran last week shut its airspace, apparently in expectation of possible U.S. strikes, and U.S. diplomats have already faced travel restrictions to some Gulf bases.
12:44 PM
Iran will retaliate 'with everything we have' if US attacks, senior diplomat warns
New information:
- Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi, in a Wall Street Journal op-ed, says Iran’s armed forces will 'fire back with everything we have' if the U.S. launches renewed military attacks, contrasting that with what he calls Tehran’s restraint in June 2025.
- Araghchi accuses the U.S. of 'fanning' a major terrorist operation, blames Trump’s rhetoric for escalating bloodshed and urges Washington to 'try respect' instead of sanctions, cyberattacks and military action.
- The Human Rights Activists News Agency (HRANA) now reports 629 protests, at least 26,314 arrests and 4,519 confirmed deaths in the crackdown, including 4,251 protesters and 33 minors.
- The UN Human Rights Council has scheduled a special session for Friday to address Iran’s deteriorating human-rights situation amid a near-total internet blackout.
- On-the-ground voices like journalist Elaheh Mohammadi describe Tehran under blackout as a city 'in mourning,' with only brief, sporadic VPN access allowing people to signal they are still alive.
6:51 AM
Iran warns Trump not to take action against Khamenei
New information:
- Gen. Abolfazl Shekarchi is quoted warning that if any 'hand of aggression' is extended toward Khamenei, Iran will 'cut that hand' and 'set fire to their world,' sharpening the threat directly at Trump.
- The story adds Trump’s Politico interview language calling Khamenei 'a sick man' and saying 'it’s time to look for new leadership in Iran,' providing more precise wording on his call for an end to Khamenei’s rule.
- Ship‑tracking data and a U.S. Navy official’s comments specify that the USS Abraham Lincoln and three destroyers have passed through the Strait of Malacca into the Indian Ocean and are heading west, putting them only days from the Middle East.
- The Human Rights Activists News Agency’s death toll is updated and characterized as at least 4,519 killed and more than 26,300 arrested since protests began Dec. 28, described as the deadliest unrest since the 1979 revolution.
- Khamenei is quoted acknowledging 'several thousand' dead, the first such admission by an Iranian leader, which the article notes against the backdrop of the still‑ongoing internet shutdown since Jan. 8.
12:38 AM
Israeli UN ambassador sends stark warning to Iran amid growing unrest
New information:
- Israeli UN Ambassador Danny Danon said Israel is in 'high readiness,' with both defensive and offensive capabilities ready, and warned Iran 'not to test our capabilities.'
- Danon stated Israel knows where Iran’s ballistic missiles are located and described the June 2025 strikes ('Operation Rising Lion' by Israel and U.S. 'Operation Midnight Hammer') that destroyed Fordow, Natanz and Isfahan as only a 'partial' display of Israeli capability.
- Danon emphasized that any new major attack on Iran would be a U.S. decision, adding that if Iran attacks Israel 'the U.S. or somebody else will attack them.'
- Gen. Abolfazl Shekarchi, spokesman for Iran’s armed forces, warned that if any 'hand of aggression' is extended toward Supreme Leader Khamenei, Iran would 'set fire to their world.'
- President Trump, in a Politico interview, called for 'new leadership in Iran,' labeled Khamenei 'a sick man,' and publicly linked his decision to hold off on strikes to reports that 'over 800' scheduled hangings were canceled.
- White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt reiterated that 'all options remained on the table' and said Trump told Iran that if 'the killing continues, there will be grave consequences.'
12:37 AM
Iran warns Trump not to take action against Supreme Leader Khamenei
New information:
- Gen. Abolfazl Shekarchi, spokesman for Iran's armed forces, warned that if any 'hand of aggression' is extended toward Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, Iran would 'cut that hand' and 'set fire to their world.'
- Trump, in a recent Politico interview, called Khamenei 'a sick man' and said it is 'time to look for new leadership in Iran,' explicitly calling for an end to Khamenei’s nearly 40‑year rule.
- Ship‑tracking data and a U.S. Navy official show the USS Abraham Lincoln carrier strike group has transited the Strait of Malacca and is heading west in the Indian Ocean, putting it only days from the Middle East.
- The U.S.-based Human Rights Activists News Agency now puts the protest death toll at at least 4,484 people and arrests at 26,127, with Khamenei himself acknowledging 'several thousand' dead.
- Iran has maintained a near‑total internet shutdown since Jan. 8, meaning actual casualty figures could rise as more information emerges.
January 19, 2026
5:01 PM
Iran says youths "deceived" into protesting can surrender for "leniency"
New information:
- Iran’s national police chief Ahmad-Reza Radan announced on state TV that young people 'deceived' into joining the protests have three days to surrender to receive 'leniency' and be treated as misled individuals rather than 'enemy soldiers.'
- Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei said authorities 'must break the back of the seditionists,' blamed the U.S. for casualties and damages, and declared the American president 'guilty' for the unrest.
- Attorney General Mohammad Movahedi Azad said judiciary officials are obliged to identify and seize the property of those labeled 'terrorists' who backed the uprising, exemplified by the detention and asset seizure of a businessman who closed his cafes in solidarity.
- Iranian state TV was briefly hacked, with exiled Crown Prince Reza Pahlavi appearing to call on security forces not to 'point your weapons at the people' and claiming some had pledged allegiance to the people during protests.
- Rights groups cited by CBS now estimate 12,000–20,000 people killed and around 20,000 arrested, versus about 3,000 arrests acknowledged by security officials via Tasnim.
12:46 PM
Iran state TV hacked to show exiled Crown Prince Pahlavi
New information:
- Reports that multiple Iranian state TV channels were hacked to broadcast two clips of exiled Crown Prince Reza Pahlavi and graphics urging security forces to join the people and not point weapons at them.
- Pahlavi’s direct on‑air appeal to Iran’s military, calling them the 'national army of Iran, not the Islamic Republic army' and urging them to defect quickly and protect their own lives.
- Updated HRANA aggregate figures for the current unrest: 624 recorded protests, at least 24,669 arrests, and 3,919 confirmed deaths, including 3,685 protesters and 25 children under 18, with nearly 9,000 additional deaths under investigation.
- Additional on‑the‑ground accounts via Iran International of security forces storming hospitals, removing wounded protesters, surrounding medical facilities, and cases of injured demonstrators bleeding to death as ambulances failed to arrive amid phone and internet outages.
3:07 AM
Iran accused of killing 16,500 in sweeping ‘genocide’ crackdown: report
New information:
- A report compiled by doctors inside Iran and cited by The Sunday Times estimates at least 16,500 protesters killed and more than 330,000 injured, far above earlier NGO figures.
- HRANA’s updated breakdown: 3,919 verified deaths, 8,949 additional deaths under investigation, 2,109 severely injured, and 24,669 detainees as of day 22 of the protests.
- Professor Amir Parasta describes doctors reporting over 800 surgical eye removals in a single night in Tehran and suggests total blinding cases may exceed 8,000 nationwide.
- Ali Safavi of the NCRI claims 2,200 executions in 2025 and 153 hangings in the first 18 days of January 2026, averaging more than eight executions a day.
- The article explicitly relays Parasta’s characterization of the repression as 'genocide under the cover of digital darkness' due to the internet shutdown and communications blackout.
January 18, 2026
8:06 PM
U.S.-based activist agency reports at least 3,766 deaths from Iran protests
New information:
- Human Rights Activists News Agency (HRANA), a U.S.-based group with on‑the‑ground networks in Iran, has raised its verified death toll from the protest crackdown to at least 3,766 people, up from 3,308, and says the real number may be significantly higher.
- HRANA now reports 24,348 protesters arrested since the Dec. 28 start of the unrest.
- Ayatollah Ali Khamenei has, for the first time, publicly acknowledged that 'several thousand' people have been killed in the protests, while blaming the United States for the casualties.
- Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian posted on X blaming 'longstanding enmity and inhumane sanctions' by the U.S. and its allies for hardships and warning that 'any aggression against the Supreme Leader' would mean 'all‑out war against the Iranian nation.'
- A family member of detainee Erfan Soltani says his planned execution in Karaj was abruptly postponed at the prison gate, providing a concrete example that at least some executions have been delayed under international pressure after Trump publicly claimed more than 800 hangings were 'canceled.'
3:48 PM
Trump calls for end of Iranian regime
New information:
- Confirms Trump told POLITICO, 'It’s time to look for new leadership in Iran,' language consistent with earlier reports but here placed in response to being read Khamenei tweets blaming him for unrest.
- Adds Trump’s extended quote criticizing Khamenei for 'the complete destruction of the country and the use of violence at levels never seen before' and saying he should 'not [be] killing people by the thousands in order to keep control.'
- Notes that Treasury’s new sanctions target 'several members of Iran’s security apparatus,' adding a bit more color about the recent U.S. measures in response to the crackdown.
- Clarifies that after Trump threatened 'very strong action' if Iran hanged protesters, he later 'toned down' those remarks when executions appeared to pause, citing one named would‑be execution (Erfan Soltani) that was postponed, though the overall protest movement has since shrunk.
- Restates casualty and arrest figures from the U.S.-based Human Rights Activists News Agency (2,400+ killed, 18,000+ arrested) and emphasizes that the outlet has not independently verified those numbers.
1:28 AM
Iran’s supreme leader acknowledges thousands killed as Trump calls for new leadership: reports
New information:
- BBC‑cited reporting that Khamenei, in a public address, acknowledged for the first time that 'thousands' of people were killed during the recent anti‑government protests, while still blaming the U.S. for the unrest.
- Fox, relying on U.S.‑based Human Rights Activists News Agency, repeats that more than 3,000 people were killed over roughly three weeks of protests and notes BBC and NetBlocks data that internet connectivity fell to about 2% of normal levels, severely hindering verification.
- New Politico‑sourced quotes from Trump saying 'it’s time to look for new leadership in Iran,' calling Khamenei 'a sick man' whose rule has made Iran 'the worst place to live anywhere in the world,' and praising what he describes as Khamenei’s decision not to hang more than 800 people 'two days ago.'
- Reaffirmation that Trump is considering 'very strong options,' including possible military involvement in Iran, framed as a response to the killings and Khamenei’s accusatory posts on X.
January 17, 2026
6:39 PM
Lindsey Graham speaks against pending execution of 26-year-old Iranian protester: 'This regime must fall'
New information:
- Sen. Lindsey Graham posted on X about the pending execution of 26-year-old Iranian protester Erfan Soltani, calling for the Iranian regime to fall and saying Soltani is facing death 'simply for protesting in the street for a better life.'
- The article provides named details about Soltani: a 26-year-old shopkeeper arrested in Fardis and sentenced to death after an expedited trial, according to ABC News and a second cousin in Germany.
- Graham links the fate of Soltani and the broader protest crackdown to his view that the 'murderous ayatollah' must go and that regime change in Iran would be 'incredibly positive' for the region.
- The story re‑highlights Trump’s statement that the U.S. is 'locked and loaded' if Iran uses violence against demonstrators and notes his subsequent claim, based on unspecified 'good authority,' that killings and more than 800 planned hangings have been halted.
12:57 PM
Iran's Khamenei says Trump is "guilty for the casualties" in protests
New information:
- Confirms via CBS sourcing that two internal Iranian sources, including one calling from inside Iran, fear at least 12,000 and possibly as many as 20,000 protesters have been killed in the crackdown (a very high but still unverified range).
- Provides additional direct Khamenei quote that 'we hold the American president guilty for the casualties, damages and accusations he has levelled against the Iranian nation,' framing Trump personally as responsible for deaths and injuries.
- Details that Khamenei publicly described the protests as an 'American conspiracy' aimed at putting Iran back under U.S. 'military, political and economic domination.'
- Clarifies sequencing of Trump’s statements: a Tuesday CBS Evening News interview promising 'very strong actions' if Iran hangs protesters, Wednesday Oval Office comments claiming 'the killing in Iran is stopping' based on unnamed 'very important sources,' and a Friday gaggle where he thanked Iran and asserted 'Iran canceled the hanging of over 800 people.'
- Reiterates that Iran imposed a near-total internet shutdown 'late last week,' making casualty and arrest figures difficult to independently verify.
12:49 PM
Khamenei calls Trump a ‘criminal,’ blames him for deadly protests sweeping Iran
New information:
- Khamenei publicly labeled Trump a 'criminal' and accused the U.S. president personally of being involved in the 'latest anti‑Iran sedition.'
- The Fox piece reinforces that Iranian state rhetoric is explicitly blaming the U.S. and Israel for orchestrating the protests, not just condemning them generally.
- The article restates protest death‑toll estimates: 3,090 killed per Human Rights Activists in Iran and a much higher 12,000+ figure claimed by exiled opposition figure Reza Pahlavi, underscoring the scale of the crackdown being debated as Trump weighs strikes.
January 16, 2026
11:32 PM
WATCH: Trump commends Iran for reportedly canceling hundreds of executions
New information:
- Trump told reporters Iran had 'canceled the hanging of over 800 people' and said he 'greatly respect[s] the fact that they canceled.'
- He asserted that 'yesterday' more than 800 hangings were scheduled but 'they didn't hang anyone' and that canceling the executions 'had a big impact' on his thinking.
- Trump said no one convinced him to back off apparent strike threats, claiming, 'Nobody convinced me. I convinced myself.'
- He indicated prospects for near‑term military action against Iran were fading because the regime had held off on mass executions.
- In the same gaggle, Trump appeared to step back from invoking the Insurrection Act over Minneapolis ICE protests, saying there was 'no reason right now' to use it but that he would if he deemed it necessary.
1:19 PM
US ambassador warns Iran at emergency UN meeting that Trump is 'man of action,' 'all options are on the table'
New information:
- U.S. Ambassador to the U.N. Mike Waltz, speaking at an emergency UN Security Council meeting, warned that President Trump 'is a man of action' and has 'made it clear all options are on the table to stop the slaughter' in Iran.
- Waltz framed the U.S. position as a responsibility to 'support the Iranian people' and blamed the regime’s 'decades of neglect and abuse' for 'hundreds of thousands, if not millions, protesting in the streets.'
- Iran’s deputy UN ambassador Gholam Hossein Darzi publicly accused the U.S. of using human‑rights rhetoric as a pretext for 'political destabilization and military intervention,' a charge Waltz rejected as proof the regime is 'afraid of their own people.'
- The article cites the U.S.-based Human Rights Activists News Agency (via AP) putting the Iran protest death toll at a specific figure of at least 2,677 people.
- White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt told reporters that Trump has communicated to Tehran that 'if the killing continues, there will be grave consequences,' and said Trump received a message that executions would stop, with the White House claiming roughly 800 scheduled executions have been halted.
12:30 AM
In Iran, witness accounts of atrocities counter regime claims of calm
New information:
- Eyewitness in Tehran describes seeing a government sniper on a rooftop using a laser sight to target protesters burning dumpsters and says 'almost everyone knows someone' killed in the crackdown.
- Article details how state TV is pushing a narrative that protests over economic grievances were 'hijacked' by Israeli‑ and American‑backed mercenary 'terrorists,' with the regime staging mass pro‑government rallies and a funeral march for more than 100 security personnel.
- Analyst Farzan Sabet explains that despite official claims of 'national solidarity,' Iran’s leadership sees the situation as an ongoing high‑risk process and is using a wartime narrative—invoking alleged Israeli and U.S. enemies—to justify 'any measure' needed to reassert control.
January 15, 2026
11:00 PM
‘A Massacre Happened’: The 24 Hours That Bloodied Iran
New information:
- Names and profiles 23‑year‑old fashion student Rubina (Robina) Aminian, who joined Jan. 8 Tehran protests after class at Shariati College and was killed that night.
- Details that antigovernment protests had been growing for more than a week and that Reza Pahlavi called on Iranians to flood the streets at 8 p.m. that evening.
- Connects Aminian’s death to the specific 24‑hour period when demonstrations surged amid Trump’s public threat to intervene if Iranian security forces opened fire.
8:53 PM
Iran protests appear increasingly smothered after internet outage and regime's crackdown
New information:
- Activists now estimate at least 2,637 people killed in Iran’s crackdown on nationwide protests, a more specific casualty figure.
- Iran has conducted wave after wave of arrests, with Justice Minister Amin Hossein Rahimi declaring that since Jan. 8 "anybody who was in the gathering" is considered a criminal.
- Iranian authorities are actively searching for Starlink satellite internet dishes as part of efforts to cut off protest video and image flows.
- Iran shut its airspace for more than four hours, forcing international flights to divert around the country before the closure expired and domestic flights resumed.
- The U.S. has announced new sanctions on Iranian officials accused of suppressing the protests, while the G7 and EU say they are considering additional measures and the U.N. Security Council convened an emergency meeting at U.S. request.
- Britain closed its embassy in Tehran and withdrew its staff amid the unrest and security fears, and the U.S. moved some personnel from Al Udeid Air Base in Qatar while warning diplomats in Kuwait to avoid bases with U.S. troops.
5:55 PM
Iranian protestors hold Trump assassination attempt photo, chant 'death to America,' state media shows
New information:
- Iranian state TV aired footage of a government‑organized rally at Tehran University where pro‑regime demonstrators chanted 'death to America' and held signs with the Pennsylvania assassination‑attempt photo of President Trump.
- Several placards used the Trump shooting image with slogans such as 'This time there will be no error' (Arabic) and 'The arrow doesn't always miss' (English), explicitly invoking a successful future attempt on his life.
- The piece reiterates HRANA’s current tally of 617 protest gatherings in 187 cities, at least 18,470 arrests and 2,615 confirmed deaths, including 2,435 protesters and 13 children.
- It notes Iran’s airspace was closed for about five hours overnight before reopening, consistent with earlier reporting but tying it directly to the same period as the rally.
- Trump told reporters he had been 'notified' that the killing of protesters was 'stopping,' while HRANA reports protests entering their 18th day under a near‑total internet shutdown.
4:56 PM
Iran's protests appear increasingly smothered after a deadly crackdown
New information:
- Activist groups now estimate at least 2,637 people have been killed in Iran’s protest crackdown, a more precise figure than earlier reports that spoke only of 'thousands.'
- On-the-ground witnesses in Tehran say bonfires, street debris and intense nightly gunfire have largely disappeared, indicating the protests are being effectively smothered.
- Iran temporarily shut its airspace for more than four hours on key east‑west flight corridors, forcing international carriers to divert around the country before reopening without officially acknowledging the closure.
- Iranian Justice Minister Amin Hossein Rahimi was quoted by judiciary outlet Mizan saying that since Jan. 8, 'anybody who was in the gathering…is a criminal,' signaling a blanket criminalization of demonstrations.
- U.S. announced new sanctions on Iranian officials accused of suppressing the protests, even as Trump publicly suggested the killing appears to be ending and hinted at de‑escalation.
- China’s Foreign Ministry relayed that Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi told his Chinese counterpart that the situation in Iran is now 'stable,' a talking point Tehran is pushing abroad.
- Britain closed its embassy in Tehran and pulled out diplomatic staff, while the U.S. moved some personnel from Al Udeid Air Base in Qatar and warned diplomats in Kuwait to avoid bases where U.S. troops are stationed, underscoring regional concern about possible U.S.–Iran clashes.
1:19 PM
Iran appears to reopen airspace after Trump says killing is 'stopping'
New information:
- Iran issued a NOTAM closing its airspace overnight for about five hours, then appeared to reopen it Thursday, according to Safe Airspace, which now rates Iranian airspace 'One — Do Not Fly' due to misidentification risks by air defenses.
- President Trump told reporters in the Oval Office he has been 'told that the killing in Iran is stopping,' without offering evidence, while Sen. Lindsey Graham publicly contradicted him, saying 'every indication' is that killings are 'still very much in full swing' and that 'the death toll is mounting by the hour.'
- U.S.-based HRANA provided updated aggregated figures: 617 protest gatherings in 187 cities over 18 days, at least 18,470 arrests, and 2,615 confirmed deaths, including 2,435 protesters and 13 children under 18, under a near‑total internet shutdown.
- Trump reiterated threats of 'very strong action,' saying the U.S. is 'locked and loaded and ready to go,' claimed to have canceled all meetings with Iranian officials, and urged protesters to 'TAKE OVER YOUR INSTITUTIONS!!!' while telling them to 'save the names of the killers and abusers.'
11:05 AM
Lindsey Graham calls for US to use 'any means necessary' to stop the people behind the killing of Iranians
New information:
- Sen. Lindsey Graham posted on X that the U.S. must 'stop those who are responsible for killing the people by any means necessary ASAP' in Iran and 'Make The Iranian People Safe Again.'
- Graham explicitly calls for 'a massive wave of military, cyber and psychological attacks' on the Iranian regime, describing that as the concrete meaning of Trump’s 'help is on the way' message.
- Graham publicly disputes Trump’s claim that killing and executions have stopped, saying 'every indication' he has seen shows the regime’s killing of protesters is 'still very much in full swing' and that 'the death toll is mounting by the hour.'
January 14, 2026
11:55 PM
Iran protests have eased after government's brutal crackdown, activist says
New information:
- Trump told reporters that 'the killing in Iran is stopping' and that U.S. officials had just been informed no executions of protesters would take place that day, softening his earlier 'very strong action' threat.
- Trump went so far as to echo Tehran’s line that protesters have been 'shooting back,' aligning in part with Iran’s claim that hundreds of security forces have been killed, a point not established by independent evidence.
- Human‑rights activist Roya Boroumand says street protests have eased only because a 'ruthless' crackdown has left people focused on 'counting and burying the dead,' estimating at least 2,500, and possibly many times that, killed as authorities used machine‑gun‑style weapons and an unprecedented internet blackout.
- An Iranian source inside the country told PBS there have been fewer protests in recent days, not because anger has subsided but because each demonstration sees 'one‑third of us not coming back,' underscoring the cost of returning to the streets.
11:54 PM
Iran shuts down airspace, foreign officials warn against travel to Israel
New information:
- Iran issued a NOTAM late Wednesday closing its airspace to all flights except international aircraft with prior permission for just over two hours, and flight‑tracking data showed planes being denied entry or rerouted.
- Minutes after the Iranian airspace notice, the UK Foreign Office issued guidance advising against all but essential travel to Israel, citing a 'heightened risk of regional tension' and possible travel disruption.
- A U.S. official told Reuters the Department of War was moving personnel amid rising tensions, and a Western military official said 'all the signals are that a U.S. attack is imminent,' framing unpredictability as part of the Trump administration’s strategy.
- The article reiterates that earlier the same day Trump told reporters he’d been assured the killing of protesters and planned executions in Iran were 'stopping,' even as other reporting and rights groups point to continuing harsh crackdowns.
11:29 PM
Top Iranian official downplays death toll, blames 'Israeli plot' as US considers strikes
New information:
- Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi, in a Fox News 'Special Report' interview, rejects outside estimates of 2,500–12,000 dead and insists the protest death toll is only in the 'hundreds.'
- Araghchi claims 'terrorist elements led from outside' used 'Daesh‑style' attacks—burning and beheading police—during three days of fighting, and alleges an 'Israeli plot' to kill civilians and officers to raise the body count.
- He argues the alleged Israeli‑directed violence aimed to exploit President Trump’s vow to intervene if protesters are killed, by deliberately increasing deaths to 'drag him into this conflict.'
- Araghchi says there are no imminent plans to execute protesters, describes the situation as now 'calm,' and insists the regime is 'in full control,' directly contradicting eyewitness accounts of security forces firing on unarmed demonstrators.
9:22 PM
WATCH: Trump claims killing of Iran protesters 'has stopped' even as Tehran signals executions ahead
New information:
- PBS provides the precise on‑camera quote of Trump saying he has been told on 'good authority' that 'the killing in Iran is stopping — it's stopped — it's stopping' and that 'there's no plan for executions' while conceding 'who knows?'
- The article specifies that Trump’s remarks were made while signing executive orders and legislation at the White House on Wednesday and that he did not identify his 'very important sources on the other side.'
- It reports that Iran’s judiciary chief Gholamhossein Mohseni‑Ejei publicly called for rapid trials and executions of more than 18,000 detainees, and that IRGC commander Mohammad Pakpour threatened a 'decisive response' against the U.S. and Israel, sharpening the contrast with Trump’s claim.
- PBS notes that some personnel at a key U.S. military base in Qatar were advised to evacuate by Wednesday evening following Trump’s escalated warnings of possible military action, adding a concrete U.S. military posture detail.
- The piece repeats the Human Rights Activists News Agency estimate of at least 2,586 protesters killed in the crackdown, reinforcing the scale of the bloodshed Trump is now suggesting has stopped.
8:45 PM
Trump told Iran has halted killings amid mounting protest pressure
New information:
- Trump told reporters from the Oval Office that he has been informed 'on good authority' that killing in Iran is 'stopping' and that planned executions have 'stopped' and are 'not going to' proceed.
- He framed this as a fresh update, saying 'today was going to be the day of execution' but that he has now been told there is 'no plan for executions or an execution.'
- The article reiterates that the White House had just confirmed Trump was considering bombing Iran if the protest killings continued, underscoring that this claimed halt comes after public threats of U.S. military action.
3:58 PM
Mamdani finally speaks out about Iranian regime's deadly crackdown on protesters
New information:
- New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani, previously criticized for avoiding clear condemnation, now explicitly says he does not support Iran’s deadly crackdown and that all governments must respect protesters’ rights to express political opinions safely.
- Mamdani confirms he has exchanged a 'handful of texts' with President Trump since their Oval Office meeting and describes those conversations as focused on delivering for New York City.
- Trump posts a fresh Truth Social message urging 'Iranian Patriots' to 'KEEP PROTESTING — TAKE OVER YOUR INSTITUTIONS!!!' and declaring he has canceled all meetings with Iranian officials until killings of protesters stop, adding 'HELP IS ON ITS WAY. MIGA!!!'
January 13, 2026
11:57 PM
Iran regime opened fire with live ammunition on protesters, doctor says: ‘Shoot-to-kill’
New information:
- A doctor who treated wounded protesters, now in exile, says Iranian security forces escalated from pellet shotguns to live ammunition beginning around Jan. 8, coinciding with nationwide internet blackouts.
- The doctor reports hearing heavy automatic weapons including DShK heavy machine guns and PK machine guns, weapons associated with IRGC units, and describes trauma cases as 'brutal, shoot-to-kill.'
- He recounts hospital scenes in Isfahan with streets 'stained with blood,' multiple close‑range gunshot wounds, and a colleague reporting eight bodies brought in with gunshot wounds to the face, many unrecognizable.
- The article reiterates human‑rights–group estimates, reported by Fox’s Trey Yingst, that protester deaths may exceed 3,000 as the crackdown has intensified.
- It notes President Trump has publicly urged Iranians to 'take over' their institutions and canceled meetings with Iranian officials until the crackdown ends, tying the eyewitness account to current U.S. policy signaling.
11:55 PM
As Iran protesters face ruthless crackdown, Trump says help 'on its way'
New information:
- PBS reports that Western officials now estimate at least 2,000 people have been killed in Iran’s protests, making them the deadliest unrest since the 1979 revolution.
- Trump is quoted saying the death toll 'appears significant' and asserting that 'help is on its way' to Iranian protesters, a more explicit promise of U.S. assistance than earlier generic threats of 'very strong action.'
- Analysts cited in the segment say the scale of the crackdown and persistence of protests could threaten the survival of the Iranian regime itself, not just pose a temporary challenge.
12:13 PM
Minnesota sues over Trump's ICE enforcement. And, SCOTUS hears trans athlete cases
New information:
- NPR specifies that Trump has announced a blanket 25% tariff on countries 'doing business with Iran' as part of his latest pressure move.
- The piece cites the U.S.-based Human Rights Activists News Agency tally that more than 600 Iranians have died in the regime’s protest crackdown.
- It quotes expert Matthew Kroenig suggesting Iran’s supreme leader might consider a 'zero enrichment' nuclear deal if it were seen as preserving regime survival, sharpening the policy endpoint Trump is believed to be chasing.
8:24 AM
Iranians able to make some international calls as internet remains blocked amid protests
New information:
- Reports from Tehran residents that some international calls briefly connected Tuesday for the first time since a sweeping shutdown, while text messaging remains disabled and internet access is limited to regime‑approved domestic sites.
- Description of a sustained heavy security presence in central Tehran — riot police, Revolutionary Guard units and plainclothes officers deployed at key points — as authorities push merchants to reopen amid sparse foot traffic and damaged state offices and financial institutions.
- Fresh on‑the‑record comments from Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi on Al Jazeera that communications with U.S. envoy Steve Witkoff 'continued before and after the protests and are still ongoing,' paired with his warning that Iran is 'fully prepared for war' if attacked and that U.S. proposals are 'incompatible.'
- Details and imagery of large pro‑government rallies in Tehran with chants of 'Death to America,' 'Death to Israel' and 'Death to the enemies of God,' after the attorney general warned protesters would be treated as 'enemies of God,' a capital offense.
- White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt’s on‑camera framing that diplomacy remains Trump’s 'first option' but that he is 'unafraid to use military options if and when he deems necessary,' presented against reports of hundreds killed in Iran’s streets during the blackout.
8:09 AM
People in Iran describe heavy security and some damage in first calls to outside world
New information:
- For the first time since the crackdown intensified, some Iranians in Tehran were able to make mobile calls abroad on Tuesday, though SMS remains down and internet access is limited to government‑approved domestic sites.
- Witnesses in Tehran describe a heavy security presence with anti‑riot police, Basij volunteers and plainclothes forces at major intersections, and report that several banks and government offices were burned, ATMs smashed and commerce largely paralyzed despite shops being ordered to reopen.
- Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi told Al Jazeera that he has continued communicating with U.S. envoy Steve Witkoff before, during and after the protests and that those contacts are still ongoing, even as he publicly rejects Washington’s proposals and threats.
- White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt says Iran’s public rhetoric differs from its private messages and that Trump is interested in exploring those back‑channel communications while still being "unafraid" to use military options.
- Pro‑government rallies in Iran’s streets featured chants of "Death to America" and "Death to Israel," and Iran’s attorney general warned protesters they could be treated as "enemies of God," a capital crime.
January 12, 2026
11:04 PM
Iran trade partners will face 25% tariffs from U.S., Trump says
New information:
- Clarifies that Trump announced the 25% tariffs in a social media post on Monday and said they were 'effective immediately.'
- Updates the Iran protest death toll cited by activists to at least 599 people killed, up from prior tallies (e.g., 500+).
- Details that Oman’s foreign minister visited Iran over the weekend, reinforcing the existence of an indirect U.S.–Iran diplomatic channel.
- Adds Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi’s claim that the situation is 'under total control' and his accusation that the U.S. and Israel stirred violence to give Trump a pretext to intervene.
- Quotes an Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesman saying a channel to the U.S. remains open but talks must reflect 'mutual interests and concerns' rather than 'dictation.'
- Provides Trump’s fuller Air Force One quote that 'the military is looking at it' and that, if Iran retaliates, the U.S. would hit Iran 'at levels that they've never been hit before.'
- Notes pro‑government counter‑demonstrations in Iran with chants of 'Death to America!' and 'Death to Israel!' and that Iran’s attorney general warned protesters could be labeled 'enemies of God,' a death‑penalty offense.
10:42 PM
Trump slaps 25% tariffs on any countries that do business with Iran
New information:
- CBS piece foregrounds the economic stakes by detailing trade volumes: China imported about $22.4 billion in Iranian goods in 2022 and exported $438.9 billion in goods to the U.S. in 2024, while Iran imported around $18 billion from the U.S.-allied UAE.
- Clarifies that very little direct trade takes place between Iran and the U.S. itself because of longstanding sanctions, so the new tariffs are aimed at third countries rather than Iran–U.S. trade.
- Reiterates that Trump’s tariff order is framed as 'any and all business being done with the United States of America' and is effective immediately, but notes it remains unclear exactly which countries and which categories of goods will be targeted.
- Restates that more than 500 people have reportedly been killed in Iran’s protests and that Trump has been briefed on 'very strong options' for potential military strikes, directly tying the tariff move to the protest crackdown.
10:08 PM
Trump announces 'final' 25% tariff on countries doing business with Iran regime
New information:
- Trump has moved from considering to formally announcing an immediate 'final' 25% tariff on 'any and all business' the U.S. conducts with any country that continues doing business with the Islamic Republic of Iran.
- The announcement was made via a Truth Social post that explicitly states the order is 'effective immediately' and 'final and conclusive.'
- Fox’s piece situates the announcement at a moment when Iran is in its fourteenth day of spiraling anti‑regime protests with 'hundreds' reportedly killed.
9:14 PM
Trump leans toward Iran strikes but keeps diplomacy open for now
New information:
- Trump has announced new secondary sanctions: a 25% tariff on any country 'doing business with the Islamic Republic of Iran' applied to that country’s business with the United States, effective immediately, via a Truth Social post.
- A White House official tells Axios Trump is 'leaning toward' ordering airstrikes on elements of Iran’s internal‑security apparatus tied to the protest crackdown, though no final decision has been made.
- Vice President Vance, Secretary of State Marco Rubio and senior NSC staff met Friday to prepare a menu of options, most of them non‑kinetic, for a Tuesday meeting with Trump.
- Trump envoy Steve Witkoff has been in back‑channel contact with Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi about a potential diplomatic path, including resuming nuclear talks, suggesting Tehran is privately signaling de‑escalation options.
- Press secretary Karoline Leavitt publicly confirmed airstrikes are 'one of the many options' on the table while stressing that diplomacy is the stated first choice and that U.S. is receiving different private messages from Tehran than its public threats.
5:35 PM
Iran's Khamenei issues direct warning to United States in Russian-language posts
New information:
- Khamenei used his Russian‑language X account on Jan. 11 to warn that the U.S. is 'miscalculating' toward Iran and that Americans have previously been defeated because of similar 'miscalculations' and 'erroneous planning.'
- A Russian‑speaking analyst, Ksenia Svetlova of ROPES and Chatham House, says the Russian text appears to be low‑quality, likely Google‑translated, but argues the choice of language underscores Iran’s strategic alignment with Moscow.
- The article cites HRANA as estimating at least 544 people killed in nationwide protests in Iran, with opposition group NCRI claiming more than 3,000 deaths, highlighting the uncertainty amid internet blackouts.
- It includes fresh Trump comments aboard Air Force One in which he says Iran is 'starting to' cross a red line, refers to Iranian leaders as ruling 'through violence,' and says the U.S. is considering 'very strong options.'
- Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesman Esmaeil Baghaei publicly confirms that communication between Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi and U.S. envoy Steve Witkoff 'remains active,' aligning with but also reinforcing the prior Axios account of weekend outreach.
2:21 PM
Iran's foreign minister and Trump's envoy discussed protests, sources say
New information:
- Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi reached out to White House envoy Steve Witkoff over the weekend in what sources describe as an effort to deescalate or buy time amid Trump’s threats of force over the protests.
- Araghchi and Witkoff have an ongoing direct communication channel, begun during last year’s nuclear talks, that continued even after U.S. strikes on Iran’s nuclear facilities in June and was still active as of October.
- Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesperson Esmaeil Baghaei publicly confirmed that the channel between Araghchi and the unnamed U.S. special envoy remains open and that exchanges occur 'whenever necessary,' while saying U.S. messages are 'contradictory.'
- Trump told reporters Iran had proposed negotiating a nuclear deal and said 'a meeting is being set up,' even as he warned the U.S. may have to act militarily before any talks because of the protest crackdown.
- Trump is expected to convene his national security team on Tuesday to review 'very strong options' for supporting the protests and weakening the Iranian regime.
12:24 PM
More federal agents head to Minnesota. And, U.S. Figure Skating announces Olympic team
New information:
- NPR reports Trump now says he is not ruling out strikes on Iran even as he claims Tehran has asked to negotiate with the U.S.
- It cites the U.S.-based Human Rights Activists News Agency saying about 500 protesters have been killed during Iran’s crackdown on weeks of demonstrations.
- Middle East economics expert Nader Habibi tells NPR that Iran’s leadership may have sought talks because it understands U.S. capabilities to destroy missile sites and hit political targets, especially after a 12‑day war with Israel last summer killed many senior regime figures and weakened Iran’s military.
8:45 AM
Rand Paul says Trump's threat to bomb Iran 'is not the answer': Not the 'job of the American government'
New information:
- Sen. Rand Paul told ABC’s 'This Week' that Trump’s threat to bomb Iran to protect protesters is 'not the answer' and 'not the job of the American government.'
- Paul warned that bombing Iran could backfire by killing protesters, making it impossible to distinguish them from security forces in a crowd, and potentially rallying Iranians around the Ayatollah against a foreign attacker.
- He reiterated that under the Constitution presidents cannot unilaterally bomb other countries and must seek congressional authorization for such strikes.
6:24 AM
Death toll from protests in Iran increases as Trump says Iran wants to talk
New information:
- Trump tells reporters on Air Force One that 'Iran wants to negotiate' and that 'the meeting is being set up,' claiming Tehran called to propose talks.
- He says the U.S. is weighing 'very strong options,' including cyberattacks and potential direct strikes by the U.S. or Israel, according to people familiar with internal discussions.
- The Human Rights Activists News Agency now puts the protest death toll at at least 544, including 496 protesters and 48 security personnel, with more than 10,600 detained over two weeks.
- Iranian parliament speaker Mohammad Baagher Qalibaf publicly warns that, if Iran is attacked, 'all American military centers, bases and ships in the region' and Israel ('the occupied territory') will be treated as 'legitimate targets.'
2:34 AM
Trump says Iran 'starting to' cross US red lines as protesters die in government crackdown
New information:
- Trump, speaking Jan. 11, 2026 aboard Air Force One, said Iran is 'starting to' cross U.S. red lines and that 'there seem to be some people killed that aren't supposed to be killed.'
- He reiterated that the U.S. is considering 'very strong options' that would hit the regime 'very, very hard where it hurts,' while emphasizing this does not necessarily mean 'boots on the ground.'
- Fox article passes along updated activist figures via AP: at least 544 people reported killed nationwide, including 496 protesters and 48 security forces, with more than 10,600 detained and protests in at least 190 cities.
- Iranian authorities have imposed a sweeping internet blackout, largely cutting the country off from the outside world as they escalate threats of harsh punishment, and warned that U.S. and Israeli forces would be considered 'legitimate targets' if Washington intervenes.
2:00 AM
Weakened by War, Iran’s Regime Faces Its Toughest Challenge Yet
New information:
- Specifies that Iran’s current protest wave is unfolding in the aftermath of a 12‑day war with Israel and the U.S. last June that many Iranians believe shattered the regime’s image of invincibility.
- Reports that at least 500 people have been killed in roughly two weeks of protests, with human‑rights groups assessing that security forces have gunned down hundreds and possibly thousands.
- Notes that Trump’s aides are scheduled to brief him on Tuesday on specific measures the U.S. can take in response to the killings, sharpening the timeline for potential U.S. action.
1:43 AM
Trump says he's looking at "very strong options" for supporting Iran protests
New information:
- HRANA now estimates more than 544 protesters killed and over 10,000 arrested in demonstrations across 585 locations in Iran over the past two weeks.
- Israeli defense officials tell Axios their intelligence indicates more than 1,000 protesters have been killed, significantly higher than earlier public NGO tallies.
- Trump says he is receiving hourly reports on the situation, believes events may be crossing the red line he set on killing protesters, and is convening a Tuesday national‑security meeting to consider options.
- Senior U.S. officials say most options on the table are currently 'not kinetic' — including a carrier strike group deployment, cyberattacks, and information operations — though strikes on Iranian regime targets remain under discussion.
- Trump says he may ask Elon Musk to use Starlink to help restore internet access in Iran amid regime‑imposed blackouts.
12:16 AM
Seeing an ‘existential’ struggle, Iran cracks down hard on protests
New information:
- Uses on‑the‑ground and expert sourcing (Ali Vaez of International Crisis Group) to characterize the regime’s response as an ‘existential’ fight for survival and an 'iron fist' strategy that defers rather than resolves problems.
- Details the regime’s intimidation campaign, including mass text messages and a prime‑time state TV warning by Revolutionary Guard ideologue Hossein Yekta telling parents to keep their children from protesting or accept the risk of them being shot.
- Describes the breadth of the communications blackout as cutting not just internet but also landline telephone service, dramatically limiting internal and external flow of information about protests and the crackdown.
- Emphasizes that protests, initially triggered by economic grievances, have now spread across all 31 provinces and are fueled by years of failed state policies and accumulated anger.
January 11, 2026
10:00 PM
Iran protests enter third week under internet blackout
New information:
- NPR pegs the unrest as entering its third week, giving a clearer duration marker for the current protest wave.
- The article emphasizes that Iran is operating under an ongoing internet blackout while the protests continue, reinforcing that the blackout is still in force into the third week.
- It reiterates that the Iranian president is publicly blaming foreign powers for the unrest and explicitly warning of retaliation if the U.S. intervenes militarily, aligning with but further normalizing this as the regime’s sustained line rather than a one-off threat.
5:45 PM
Trump briefed on new options for military strikes in Iran, source says
New information:
- A senior U.S. official confirms President Trump has been briefed on new military strike options against Iran, though no decision has been made and no U.S. forces have been moved in preparation.
- Trump publicly drew a red line, saying that if Iran begins 'killing people like they have in the past, we would get involved' and that the U.S. would hit Iran 'very, very hard where it hurts' without deploying ground troops.
- U.S. officials say cyber operations are among the options under consideration, and confirm the administration approves Elon Musk’s move to make Starlink satellite terminals available in Iran to help protesters evade the regime’s communications blackout.
- Energy Secretary Chris Wright said on 'Face the Nation' that Trump has 'moral support' for actions in Iran but declined to say whether the U.S. would move to interdict Iranian oil shipments.
- Iranian parliament speaker Mohammad Bagher Qalibaf explicitly warned that any U.S. strike would make American bases, ships and Israel 'legitimate targets,' and said Iran might act pre‑emptively based on 'objective signs of a threat.'
- The article recaps a June Iranian missile strike on Al Udeid Air Base in Qatar that Tehran cast as retaliation for prior U.S. strikes on three Iranian nuclear facilities, underlining the risk of escalation for U.S. forces already in‑theater.
4:58 PM
Death toll in crackdown on protests in Iran spikes to at least 538, activists say
New information:
- Human Rights Activists News Agency now estimates at least 538 people killed and over 10,600 detained in two weeks of Iran’s protest crackdown.
- Iran’s parliament speaker Mohammad Baagher Qalibaf publicly warned that U.S. military bases, ships and Israel would be 'legitimate targets' and hinted at possible preemptive strikes based on 'objective signs of a threat.'
- The article notes a near-total shutdown of internet and international phone lines in Iran, making independent casualty verification difficult and raising fears of an unobserved bloodier crackdown.
- It reports that President Trump and his national security team are actively weighing a range of potential responses, from cyberattacks to direct U.S. or Israeli strikes, although no decision has been announced.
4:03 PM
Major Trump Briefing on Iran Options Planned for Tuesday
New information:
- Confirms President Trump is scheduled for a formal Tuesday briefing on specific Iran response options, rather than just generic deliberations.
- Spells out the menu of options on the table: ramped‑up online support to anti‑government sources, deployment of 'secretive' U.S. cyber weapons against Iranian military and civilian sites, additional sanctions, and potential military strikes.
- Notes that Trump is not expected to make a final decision at that particular meeting, underscoring this as a decision‑shaping session, not a launch order.
11:31 AM
Trump considers options as Iran cracks down on protests
New information:
- U.S. officials say Trump is reviewing a menu of options to support Iranian protesters and weaken the regime, including but not limited to military strikes; most options currently presented are 'not kinetic.'
- The internal discussions now explicitly include potential cyberattacks and information operations against the Iranian regime, along with signaling measures such as announcing an aircraft carrier strike group heading to the region.
- U.S. and Israeli officials assess that the real death toll from the crackdown is likely several times higher than the 116 reported by HRANA, with one Israeli official claiming over 1,000 killed and opposition channel Iran International airing an unverified figure of 2,000 protesters killed in 48 hours.
- Two senior Israeli officials say the regime and security services were caught off guard by the scale of protests since Thursday and have had to reassess, and U.S. and Israeli intelligence see some signs of dissent within Iran’s security forces, though no indication of imminent regime collapse.
- Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian publicly warned that if the U.S. attacks, Iran will hit U.S. bases and Israel, while insisting Tehran will try to address the economic crisis that sparked the protests.
10:35 AM
Iran Warns It Could Hit U.S. Bases as Trump Weighs Military Options
New information:
- Confirms that U.S. officials are actively reviewing preliminary options for striking Iranian military sites, not just issuing threats or warnings.
- Specifies that Iran’s parliamentary speaker, Mohammad-Bagher Ghalibaf, included Middle Eastern shipping lanes and Israel among potential retaliatory targets, in addition to U.S. bases.
- Notes that Iran previously struck Al Udeid Air Base in Qatar last June after the U.S. dropped 'massive bombs' on Iranian nuclear facilities, adding a concrete prior instance of direct Iranian retaliation on a U.S.-used base in the current cycle.
8:57 AM
Iran threatens protesters, U.S. troops in region, as unrest enters week 2
New information:
- Human Rights Activists News Agency (HRANA) now puts the protest death toll at at least 116 and detentions at more than 2,600 after two weeks of unrest.
- The demonstrations are confirmed to be continuing in both Tehran and Iran’s second‑largest city, with fresh overnight protests into Sunday.
- Qalibaf’s warning is broadcast live on state TV as lawmakers chant 'Death to America,' and he explicitly threatens not just retaliatory but preemptive strikes on U.S. bases, ships and Israel based on 'any objective signs of a threat.'
- The New York Times and Wall Street Journal are reporting that Trump has been presented with military options for striking Iran but has not yet decided, adding a concrete layer to his public threats.
- Analyst Maziar Bahari argues Trump’s rhetoric may simultaneously frighten regime officials and embolden protesters who see explicit backing from the U.S. president.
7:46 AM
Iran warns US troops and Israel will be targets if America strikes over protests as death toll rises
New information:
- Iran’s parliament speaker Mohammad Bagher Qalibaf, in a live‑broadcast session, warned that in the event of a U.S. attack, 'the occupied territory' (Israel) and all American military centers, bases and ships in the region will be 'legitimate targets.'
- Qalibaf said Iran 'will act based on any objective signs of a threat' and does not see itself as limited to reacting only after being struck, implying potential pre‑emptive action.
- The U.S.-based Human Rights Activists News Agency now puts the protest death toll at at least 116 people with about 2,600 detained nationwide as the unrest passes two weeks.
- Iran’s parliament speaker publicly praised the Revolutionary Guard and Basij and vowed protesters 'will be dealt with in the most severe way' and punished.
- The New York Times and Wall Street Journal, citing anonymous U.S. officials, report Trump has been given military options for a strike on Iran but has not made a final decision; the State Department warned, 'Do not play games with President Trump. When he says he'll do something, he means it.'
January 10, 2026
10:18 PM
Armed Iran protesters battle police in Tehran streets as Trump warns of forceful US response
New information:
- Reports of armed protesters and Iranian State Security Forces exchanging sustained gunfire in the Tehranpars neighborhood of Tehran, captured on cellphone video shared with Iranian TV and Fox News.
- Chants of 'Death to Khamenei!' and 'Death to the dictator!' are heard as people flee during the firefight, indicating direct attacks on Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei’s authority.
- Human Rights Activists News Agency in Iran now estimates at least 65 people killed, including children, and 2,311 arrested after about two weeks of protests.
- The National Council of Resistance in Iran says protests have spread to 190 cities, and Maryam Rajavi praises 'rebellious youth' for keeping the uprising’s 'flames' alive.
- Trump, at a Washington news conference, says 'Iran’s in big trouble,' notes that protesters appear to be taking over cities, and states the U.S. will hit the regime 'very, very hard where it hurts' if it resorts to mass violence, while specifying he is not talking about 'boots on the ground.'
9:03 PM
Protests in Iran reach 2-week mark as authorities intensify crackdown on demonstrators
New information:
- Updates casualty and detention figures to at least 72 killed and over 2,300 detained, according to the U.S.-based Human Rights Activists News Agency.
- Reports that Iran’s attorney general Mohammad Movahedi Azad has formally warned that anyone taking part in protests, or helping protesters, will be treated as an 'enemy of God,' a capital offense under Iranian law.
- Details a State Department warning that foreign governments should 'not play games with President Trump,' underscoring the U.S. threat of consequences if Iran violently suppresses demonstrations.
- Describes a severe communications blackout—nationwide internet shutdown and phone lines cut—making it harder to gauge protests, while state TV broadcasts pro‑government imagery and claims of calm.
- Provides specific scenes from Tehran’s Saadat Abad neighborhood and Isfahan, including verified video of large anti‑Khamenei crowds and state media footage of protesters apparently using firearms and gasoline bombs, emphasizing the regime’s narrative vs. ground reality.
8:00 PM
Iranian hospitals overwhelmed with injuries as protests rage across Islamic Republic
New information:
- Doctors at Tehran’s Farabi Hospital report the facility has gone into 'crisis mode,' suspending non‑urgent admissions as emergency services are overwhelmed by protest‑related injuries.
- A medic in Shiraz says large numbers of injured protesters are arriving despite a shortage of surgeons, with many suffering gunshot wounds to the head and eyes.
- Specific hospital-level detail that Farabi is Tehran’s main eye specialist center and is being inundated with patients from the protests.
- The article reiterates casualty data from the U.S.-based Human Rights Activists News Agency: at least 72 killed and more than 2,300 detained, providing a consistent toll.
- Iran’s attorney general’s warning, carried on state TV, elaborates that even people who 'helped rioters' will face the 'enemy of God' capital charge and that proceedings must occur 'without leniency, compassion or indulgence.'
1:00 PM
Inside the Trump administration’s effort to quickly reach audiences behind media walls in Venezuela, Iran
New information:
- Kari Lake states that USAGM has been rapidly expanding Farsi‑language or Iran‑focused coverage in response to the current wave of anti‑regime protests, including hiring additional contractors and extending broadcast hours.
- She characterizes USAGM output as attempting to provide 'honest coverage' to Iranians who, she says, lack access to fair domestic media, and frames the protests as historically significant popular resistance to a 47‑year‑old regime.
- The article notes that USAGM is seeking more distribution channels to penetrate Iran’s restricted media environment as protests and government repression intensify.
9:21 AM
Iran warns protesters of maximum punishment as death toll mounts
New information:
- Judiciary chief Gholamhossein Mohseni-Ejei publicly vowed that punishment for protesters will be 'decisive, maximum and without any legal leniency.'
- Khamenei accused President Trump of having hands 'stained with the blood of Iranians' and said protesters were 'ruining their own streets ... in order to please the president of the United States.'
- President Trump said any U.S. strike on Iran would not 'mean boots on the ground' but would hit Iran 'very, very hard where it hurts,' adding: 'you better not start shooting because we'll start shooting too.'
- Trump claimed protesters appear to be 'taking over certain cities that nobody thought were really possible just a few weeks ago.'
- Human Rights Activists News Agency updated its tally to at least 65 people killed (including at least 14 security forces), more than 2,300 arrested, and protests in at least 180 cities as of the 13th day of unrest.
- NetBlocks reported the nationwide internet blackout in Iran had lasted 36 hours as of Saturday morning, severely limiting communication.
- The exiled crown prince called on protesters to overwhelm security forces and seize towns and cities, which the article links to the timing of the internet shutdown.
- Secretary of State Marco Rubio posted a brief statement saying, 'the United States supports the brave people of Iran.'
January 09, 2026
9:47 PM
What to know as Iran faces its biggest anti-government protests in years
New information:
- Details that the protests began with late-December shopkeeper strikes and marches in Tehran, highlighting small business owners as a traditionally regime-supportive group now protesting over inflation and currency collapse.
- Specific economic trigger data: Iran’s currency lost more than 40% of its value in the previous year, making everyday goods unaffordable for many.
- Updated protest spread metrics from HRANA: at least 46 cities in 21 provinces, with demonstrations on dozens of university campuses and strikes/market closures in over a dozen cities.
- Refined casualty and arrest figures from HRANA: more than 2,200 detained (including at least 166 under 18) and 42 killed (29 protesters, at least five under 18, and eight security personnel).
- Regime-side impact figures via Fars: about 250 police officers and 45 Basij members reported injured.
- Additional technical detail that Iranian authorities not only imposed a nationwide internet/phone blackout but that Starlink connectivity used by activists has been jammed, according to IranWire’s Maziar Bahari.
- Expanded and more direct Trump quote that U.S. would 'hit them very hard where it hurts' if Iran 'starts killing people like they have in the past,' clarifying he rules out 'boots on the ground' but threatens other punitive action.
8:37 PM
Iran protests grow deadlier as regime internet blackout fails to stop uprising
New information:
- Iran Human Rights (IHRNGO) now reports at least 51 protesters killed, including nine children, and hundreds injured during the nationwide unrest.
- The article specifies that the protests have entered their thirteenth day, with expectations of further escalation despite the communication blackout.
- A senior U.S. official tells Fox News there has been no change to U.S. military posture in the Middle East, though U.S. Central Command is closely monitoring developments around Friday prayers and the regime’s response.
- Leaders of France, the United Kingdom and Germany issued their first joint declaration on the unrest, condemning the killing of protesters and urging Iran to allow freedom of expression and peaceful assembly.
- The opposition National Council of Resistance of Iran (NCRI) alleges security forces killed or wounded a significant number of protesters overnight in several cities, including at least 10 young people in the Fardis area of Karaj, though these claims are not independently verified.
- Reuters‑verified videos show buildings and vehicles burning in multiple cities, and authorities have imposed such a sweeping internet shutdown that phone calls into Iran are failing and at least 17 flights between Dubai and Iran have been canceled.
- NCRI leader Maryam Rajavi is quoted stressing that regime change will come only from organized nationwide resistance inside Iran, not from foreign capitals.
11:10 AM
Iran leader vows regime will "not back down" after night of huge protests
New information:
- Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei delivered a brief televised speech Friday morning Jan. 9, 2026, accusing President Trump of inspiring the protests and vowing the regime would “not back down.”
- Khamenei characterized protesters who set fire to a state TV building in Tehran as “a bunch of vandals” who “destroyed a building that belongs to them to please the U.S. president,” as his audience chanted “Death to America!”
- CBS cites an on‑the‑ground source in Tehran saying that, in their neighborhood and several others, pro‑Pahlavi monarchist crowds were prevailing in response to Reza Pahlavi’s call.
- Washington Institute fellow Holly Dagres is quoted saying Pahlavi’s rallying call appears to have “turned the tide of the protests,” with social‑media evidence that Iranians took the call seriously as a bid to oust the Islamic Republic.
- The article details that unrest escalated sharply at 8 p.m. local time Thursday, synchronized with Pahlavi’s pre‑announced call for nationwide chants at that hour, and notes a state TV building was set alight in Tehran.
7:35 AM
Protests sweep Iran despite internet shutdown as state TV warns of casualties
New information:
- Reports that when protests began at 8 p.m. Thursday across Tehran, crowds chanted 'Death to the dictator!', 'Death to the Islamic Republic!' and pro‑Pahlavi slogans such as 'This is the last battle! Pahlavi will return!'
- Iran imposed a nationwide cutoff of internet and international telephone calls Thursday night as demonstrations surged, with activists saying the blackout both hid the protests from the world and likely gave security forces cover to kill protesters.
- Iranian state media for the first time acknowledged the protests, blaming 'terrorist agents' of the U.S. and Israel for setting fires and sparking violence and saying there were unspecified 'casualties.'
- The U.S.-based Human Rights Activists News Agency now estimates at least 42 people killed and more than 2,270 detained since protests began December 28.
- Exiled Crown Prince Reza Pahlavi publicly claimed that his calls for nationwide 8 p.m. protests on Thursday (and again Friday) 'turned the tide' of demonstrations, and he urged European leaders to join President Trump in pledging to hold Iran’s government to account and to use 'technical, financial, and diplomatic' tools to restore communications.
7:35 AM
Iran's supreme leader says protesters are 'ruining their own streets' to please Trump
New information:
- Khamenei publicly accused protesters of 'ruining their own streets to make the president of another country happy,' referring to Donald Trump, and dismissed Trump as having hands 'stained with the blood of Iranians' while crowds chanted 'Death to America!' on state TV.
- The article reports that Trump has 'reiterated his pledge to strike Iran if protesters are killed,' directly tying U.S. military threats to the regime’s handling of the unrest.
- Details that protests have intensified steadily since beginning on Dec. 28 and that they now represent the most significant challenge to the government in several years, with demonstrations including chants in support of the former shah.
- The piece highlights that Thursday night’s 8 p.m. protests across Tehran and other cities were directly coordinated with calls by exiled Crown Prince Reza Pahlavi, including slogans such as 'This is the last battle! Pahlavi will return!' and that experts say his calls 'turned the tide' of the protests.
- Clarifies that Iranian state media now explicitly blames 'terrorist agents' of the U.S. and Israel for setting fires, while acknowledging unspecified 'casualties' amid the blackout.
- Adds more granular description of the communications shutdown: internet and international telephone calls cut off nationwide, with activists relying on short videos smuggled online.
4:33 AM
Trump discusses expansion of drug cartel crackdown, issues grim warning to Iran
New information:
- In the Fox News interview, Trump revisits his warning to Iran’s leadership, explicitly vowing U.S. support for Iranian protesters and describing prior crackdowns where unarmed demonstrators were machine‑gunned, imprisoned, and hanged.
- He signals that if Iran repeats such a crackdown ('they played rough'), the U.S. under his leadership is prepared to respond, reinforcing his earlier pledge that Iran would be 'hit very hard' if it continues killing demonstrators.
January 08, 2026
7:51 PM
What to know about the intensifying protests shaking Iran and putting pressure on its theocracy
New information:
- Human Rights Activists News Agency reports more than 340 protests across all 31 of Iran’s provinces, with at least 38 people killed and more than 2,200 arrested.
- Iran’s rial has fallen to over 1.4 million to $1, with annual inflation around 40%, and prices for staples like meat and rice sharply higher.
- Iran introduced a new pricing tier for nationally subsidized gasoline in December and plans to review prices every three months, effectively opening the door to further fuel price hikes.
- Iran’s central bank has ended the preferential, subsidized dollar–rial exchange rate for all imports except medicine and wheat, a move expected to spike food prices.
- The protests reportedly began with Tehran merchants in late December over economic issues and have since spread nationwide and taken on explicit anti-government slogans.
- Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei is quoted as saying 'rioters must be put in their place,' signaling a hard-line stance.
- The piece reiterates that UN sanctions on Iran’s nuclear program were reimposed in September and that Iran is struggling after a 12‑day June war in which Israel attacked and the U.S. bombed Iranian nuclear sites.
- The article notes that Iran’s self-described 'Axis of Resistance' has been 'decimated' since the Israel–Hamas war began in 2023, weakening Tehran’s regional posture.
January 07, 2026