The US has moved one of its most powerful warships to the Middle East amid rising tensions with Iran over the killing of protesters, the Pentagon has said.
The USS Abraham Lincoln aircraft carrier and its strike group have moved west from the Indo-Pacific region, satellite data from Copernicus shows. It includes fighter jets, guided missile destroyers and an attack submarine.
Sources told The Hill that the movement of the ship to the Middle East would take around a week, with Washington continuing to threaten strikes on Tehran over its brutal crackdown on protests.
Trump's envoy to the UN, Mike Waltz, insisted “all options are on the table” during an emergency Security Council meeting to discuss the Iran crisis. The US also warned Tehran’s leadership that any further killing will have “grave consequences”.
While Trump has repeatedly threatened to intervene in Iran, he also says he has received assurances that the authorities in Tehran will stop killing protesters and that there are no plans to execute hundreds who have been arrested.
How Iran’s internet blackout is quietly affecting your social media feed | Debunked
Son raises concerns for British parents detained in Iran amid deadly protests
Reprieve for Iranian protester Erfan Soltani facing execution
Trump ‘ready to push the button’ on airstrikes in Iran as US personnel evacuate military base
Key Points
- Pentagon moves to reinforce US military presence in Middle East amid rising tensions
- Trump envoy says 'all options on table' to support Iranian protesters
- US envoy tells Iran: Trump is a 'man of action'
- Russia accuses US of calling UN meeting to justify 'blatant aggression and interference' in Iran
- Iran accuses US of 'steering unrest'
- Trump warns Iran that any further killing will have 'grave consequences'
In pictures: Solidarity protests across the world for Iran
12:30 , Maira Butt
Mossad director visits US for Iran consultations, according to reports
12:00 , Maira ButtThe director of Israel’s Mossad spy agency David Barnea arrived in the US on Friday to discuss the ongoing unrest in Iran, according to reports by Axios.
He is expected to meet White House special envoy Steve Witkoff who is overseeing communication between the US and Iran.
Iran state TV broadcasts Trump threat with picture of Butler assassination attempt: ‘This time it won’t miss’
11:31 , Maira ButtIranian state TV aired footage of an ominous threat to Donald Trump, after the US president threatened to take military action against the ayatollah’s regime.
A mourner at a ceremony for Iranian security forces killed in the recent unrest held up a sign with a picture of Trump after he narrowly survived an assassination attempt at a rally in Butler, Pennsylvania in 2024.
The writing in Farsi underneath warned: “This time it won’t miss.”
The footage was broadcast on the Islamic Republic of Iran News Network (IRINN) channel, a state-controlled network in Iran. IRINN could not be reached for comment.
Iran TV broadcasts ominous threat to Trump with picture of assassination attempt
Watch: Iran journalist breaks down in tears as she reads out names of those killed in protests at UN meeting
11:00 , Maira ButtShabnoor Irshad reports:
Iranian journalist Masih Alinejad broke down in tears at the United Nations on Thursday (15 January) as she read out the names of people she said were killed during protests in Iran.
Ms Alinejad recounted the deaths of victims who she said were shot by members of Iran’s Revolutionary Guards.
Struggling to continue, she said she felt guilty for not naming everyone who had been killed, adding that “the list of names goes on and on”.
She said protesters knew they would face guns and bullets but continued to demand justice.
Addressing the international community, Ms Alinejad urged governments to move beyond what she called “empty condemnation,” saying she no longer believes the Islamic Republic can be reformed and should not be treated as a legitimate government.
Putin speaks with Israeli PM Netanyahu and Iran president Pezeshkian to 'de-escalate'
10:30 , Maira ButtRussian president Vladimir Putin has spoken to Iran’s president Masoud Pezeshkian on Friday, the Kremlin said in a statement.
It follows an earlier discussion with Israeli prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu.
Putin’s spokesperson Dmitry Peskov told reporters that the Russian leader will continue to de-escalate the situation in the region.
Netanyahu asked Trump to postpone attack on Iran
10:00 , Maira ButtIsraeli prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu asked President Donald Trump to postpone plans to attack Iran, a senior US official said on Thursday, according to the New York Times.
Executions of around 800 protesters were reportedly stayed following the intervention from Israel and other countries in the region including Saudi Arabia, Oman and Qatar.
But the White House insists that Trump will continue to “keep all of this options on the table”.
Trump talked out of Iran strike at 'last minute'
09:30 , Maira ButtDonald Trump was talked out of attacking Iran at the last-minute, according to officials involved in the protest.
Saudi Arabia, Qatar and Oman “led a long, frantic, last-minute diplomatic effort” to stop a US strike, a senior Saudi official told AFP.
“It was a sleepless night to defuse more bombs in the region,” the official said, adding that talks remained ongoing in order “to consolidate the gained trust and the current good spirit”.
Family forced to smuggle body of fashion student for burial after being refused by authorities
09:00 , Maira ButtThe family of a 23-year-old protester were forced to smuggle her body out of the morgue after she was shot dead by security forces at a protest.
Robina Aminian, a fashion student, joined a demonstration on 8 January and died after being shot in the head.
Her family were forced to smuggle her body out of the building for a burial after authorities refused permission.
“Amene [Aminian’s mother], who is one of the bravest members of our family, wailed loudly, but was determined to bring her baby home,” her relative Hali Norei told The Guardian.
“She picked her up in her arms and was forced to steal her own child’s body; she drove back home with her on her lap.”
Authorities demanding money in return for protesters' bodies, says BBC
08:30 , Maira ButtFamilies of dead protesters are being forced to fork out large sums of money in return for the bodies of their loved ones, multiple sources told BBC Persia.
At least 2,435 people have been killed in a fortnight of protests across the country.
One person said security forces demanded 700 million tomans ($5,000 or £3,700) to release the body of their loved one, being held at Poursina Hospital.
A family in Tehran said they were asked to pay a billion tomans ($7,000 or £5,200) for their loved one, a Kurdish seasonal construction worker.
They were unable to afford the cost with construction workers earning around $100 a month, according to the report.
Iranian foreign minister calls on UN to condemn 'illegal US interventions'
08:00 , Namita SinghAhead of the emergency UN Security Council meeting on Thursday, Iranian foreign minister Abbas Araghchi and secretary-general Antonio Guterres spoke by phone to discuss the recent deadly protests and Iran's request for the world body to do more to condemn what they call foreign influence in the Islamic Republic, according to a readout of the call posted on Iranian state TV.
The semiofficial Tasnim news agency reported that Araghchi implored the top UN official to live up to the "serious expectation" that Iran's government and its people have of the UN's role in condemning what the officials called "illegal US interventions against Iran".
Iranian dissident accuses UN of failing to adequately respond
07:30 , Namita SinghMasih Alinejad, one of the most vocal Iranian dissidents in the US, accused the United Nations and the Security Council of failing "to respond with the urgency this moment demands" at the emergency UN Security Council meeting on Thursday.
In October, two purported Russian mobsters were each sentenced to 25 years behind bars for hiring a hitman to kill Alinejad at her Brooklyn home on behalf of the Iranian government.
Sitting across the table from the Iranian ambassador to the UN, Alinejad, who came after an invitation from the US, said that "the members of this body have forgotten the privilege and responsibility of sitting in this room".
In a stunning moment, even for Security Council standards, Alinejad addressed the Islamic Republic's representative seated at the council directly.
"You have tried to kill me three times. I have seen my would-be assassin with my own eyes in front of my garden, in my home in Brooklyn," she said while the Iranian official looked directly ahead, without acknowledging her.
Pentagon moves to reinforce US military presence in Middle East amid rising tensions
07:00 , Namita SinghThe Pentagon is preparing to deploy additional US troops and military equipment to the Middle East as tensions in the region remain elevated.
According to NBC News, which cited a US official, the planned reinforcements include a carrier strike group, extra aircraft and land-based air defence systems. The deployments are intended to strengthen the American military footprint already in place.
Satellite imagery analysed earlier by digital investigations journalist Ben van der Merwe appeared to show the USS Abraham Lincoln moving towards the Middle East, suggesting preparations were already under way before the latest report.
The move comes as Donald Trump weighs his next steps in response to the situation in the region. The official told the network that the additional forces are designed both to bolster deterrence and to ensure US forces are ready to respond if Iran targets American assets or allies.
The Pentagon expects the equipment, along with thousands of additional personnel, to arrive over the coming days and weeks, the official added.
UN urges dialogue, warns against possible military strikes on Iran
06:30 , Namita SinghThe UN warned possible military strikes on Iran would add "volatility to an already combustible situation" during an emergency meeting of the Security Council on Thursday.
UN secretary-general Antonio Guterres "urges maximum restraint at this sensitive moment and calls on all actors to refrain from any actions that could lead to further loss of life or ignite a wider regional escalation," assistant secretary-general Martha Pobee said at the meeting.
Guterres remains convinced that all issues regarding Iran, including its nuclear program, should be addressed through diplomacy and dialogue, she said.
The UN chief reaffirms the UN Charter's principles that disputes must be settled peacefully and prohibit the threat or use of force, Pobee said.
Trump envoy says 'all options on table' to support Iranian protesters
06:13 , Namita SinghThe United States stands by the “brave people of Iran,” and President Donald Trump "has made it clear all options are on the table to stop the slaughter," US ambassador to the United Nations Mike Waltz told the UN Security Council on Thursday.
Trump has repeatedly threatened to intervene in support of protesters in Iran, where thousands of people have been reported killed in a crackdown on the protests against clerical rule.
But on Thursday, Trump adopted a wait‑and‑see posture, saying he had been told that the killings were easing and that he believed there was no current plan for large-scale executions.
President Trump is a man of action, not endless talk like we see at the United Nations. He has made it clear all options are on the table to stop the slaughter.
Waltz dismissed allegations by Iran that the protests are "a foreign plot to give a precursor to military action”.
"Everyone in the world needs to know that the regime is weaker than ever before, and therefore is putting forward this lie because of the power of the Iranian people in the streets. They are afraid. They're afraid of their own people," Waltz said.
Iran's deputy UN ambassador Gholamhossein Darzi said Iran does not seek escalation or confrontation and accused Waltz of resorting "to lies, distortion of facts, and a deliberate misinformation campaign to conceal his country’s direct involvement in steering unrest in Iran to violence”.
Iranian dissident warns of 'brutal slaughter' in Iran
06:00 , Namita SinghIranian-American activist Masih Alinejad told an emergency meeting of the UN Security Council that the Islamic Republic is behaving like the Islamic State militant group, "and deserves to be treated like" the group.
She said: "That is how you save innocent lives."She warned the "brutal slaughter" in Iran will get much worse if the world doesn't take "serious action".
Alinejad said all Iranians are united in seeking freedom and in the face of Iranian weapons they want action, not "empty words and empty condemnations".
US envoy tells Iran: Trump is a 'man of action'
05:30 , Namita SinghThe US ambassador to the UN Mike Waltz told an emergency meeting of the UN Security Council called by the United States that "the people of Iran are demanding their freedom like never before in the Islamic Republic's brutal history."
He said the US message is clear: "President Donald J Trump and the United States of America stand by the brave people of Iran.""President Trump is a man of action, not endless talk like we see at the United Nations," Waltz said.
"He has made it clear, all options are on the table to stop the slaughter, and no one should know that better than the leadership of the Iranian regime."
Waltz dismissed Iranian allegations that the protests are "a foreign plot" and precursor to military action saying: "Everyone in the world needs to know that the regime is weaker than ever before, and therefore is putting forward this lie because of the power of the Iranian people in the streets."
"They are afraid," he said. "They are afraid of their own people."
Russia accuses US of calling UN meeting to justify 'blatant aggression and interference' in Iran
05:00 , Namita SinghRussia's UN ambassador Vassily Nebenzia told an emergency meeting of the UN Security Council that Moscow stands in solidary with Iran and backs its view that "hostile external forcers are attempting to exploit the current situation in order to overthrow a government they find objectionable and destroy the Islamic Republic of Iran as a sovereign and independent state.
"Russia called on the US "to stop making themselves out to be a global judge and put an end to their escalatory actions," he said.
Moscow also called on the UN's 193 member nations "to prevent a new large-scale escalation".
Nebenzia said the US's actions "risk plunging the region into even bloodier chaos – chaos that could easily spill beyond its borders”.
He appeared to blame the protesters themselves for the high death toll in a brutal crackdown by the security forces in Iran, pointing to the use of firearms, the killing of civilians and law enforcement officers and arson attacks on medical facilities and public institutions.
Iran accuses US of 'steering unrest'
04:30 , Namita SinghGholam Hossein Darzi, the deputy Iranian ambassador to the UN, has accused the US of "direct involvement in steering unrest in Iran to violence”.
"Under the hollow pretext of concern for the Iranian people and claims of support for human rights, the United States is attempting to portray itself as a friend of the Iranian people – while simultaneously laying the groundwork for political destabilisation and military intervention under a so-called 'humanitarian' narrative," Darzi said during his statement.
The Iranian official also called out the US for what it described as its own human rights abuses against protesters with the recent killing of Renee Good in Minnesota by a US Immigration and Customs Enforcement officer.
France and Britain threaten new sanctions
04:00 , Namita SinghFrance's UN ambassador Jïrïme Bonnafont said that "given the scale and brutality of the repression" against protesters, the international community must denounce the violence.
He reiterated France's call for the immediate release of all those arbitrarily detained and suspension of the death penalty and called for the rapid convening of a special session of the Geneva-based UN Human Rights Council to address the situation in Iran and investigate rights violations.
Britain's deputy ambassador Archibald Young condemned Iran's actions "in the strongest possible terms" and paid tribute "to the courage of the Iranian people, particularly Iranian women”.
The United Kingdom has told Iran's foreign minister that "Iran must urgently change course" and respect the fundamental rights of Iranians, "including the right to protest without fear of violence or repression.
"If it doesn't, Young said the Group of Seven major industrialised nations, including the UK, has made clear that it will impose additional sanctions."The world is watching," he said.
New Zealand diplomatic staff leaves Iran
03:32 , Namita SinghNew Zealand has "temporarily" closed its embassy in Tehran, Iran, and moved consular operations to Ankara, Turkey, officials in Wellington said on Friday.
All New Zealand diplomatic staff left Iran on commercial flights during the past day, New Zealand's foreign ministry said in a statement.
The move followed remarks on Thursday by foreign minister Winston Peters, who said his government was "appalled by the escalation of violence and repression" in Iran.
"We condemn the brutal crackdown being carried out by Iran's security forces, including the killing of protesters," Peters posted on X.
The foreign ministry repeated official advice Friday that New Zealanders should avoid travel to Iran and "leave now" if they were already there.
They said the ability of New Zealand's government to provide consular help to the country's citizens in Iran was "extremely limited”.
Watch: Iran warns Trump 'next time bullet won't miss' in direct threat
03:00 , Bryony GoochIranian foreign minister calls on UN to condemn 'illegal US interventions'
02:00 , Bryony GoochAhead of the emergency UN Security Council meeting Thursday, Iranian foreign minister Abbas Araghchi and secretary-general Antonio Guterres spoke by phone to discuss the recent deadly protests and Iran's request for the world body to do more to condemn what they call foreign influence in the Islamic Republic, according to a readout of the call posted on Iranian state TV.
The semi-official Tasnim news agency reported that Araghchi implored the top UN official to live up to the "serious expectation" that Iran's government and its people have of the UNs' role in condemning what the officials called "illegal US interventions against Iran."
Iranian dissident accuses UN of failing to adequately respond
01:00 , Bryony GoochMasih Alinejad, one of the most vocal Iranian dissidents in the US, accused the United Nations and the Security Council of failing "to respond with the urgency this moment demands" at the emergency U.N. Security Council meeting Thursday.
In October, two purported Russian mobsters were each sentenced to 25 years behind bars for hiring a hitman to kill Alinejad at her Brooklyn home on behalf of the Iranian government.
Sitting across the table from the Iranian ambassador to the UN, Alinejad, who came after an invitation from the US, said that "the members of this body have forgotten the privilege and responsibility of sitting in this room."
Recap: UN Security Council to discuss Iran's deadly protests after US request
00:00 , Bryony GoochThe UN Security Council scheduled an emergency meeting Thursday to discuss Iran's deadly protests at the request of the United States, even as president Donald Trump left unclear what actions he would take against the Islamic Republic.
Tehran appeared to make conciliatory statements in an effort to defuse the situation after Trump threatened to take action to stop further killing of protesters, including the execution of anyone detained in Tehran's bloody crackdown on nationwide protests.
White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt said, "All options remain on the table for the president."
Iran's crackdown on the demonstrations has killed at least 2,615, the US-based Human Rights Activists News Agency reported. The death toll exceeds any other round of protest or unrest in Iran in decades and recalls the chaos surrounding the country's 1979 Islamic Revolution.
Where are the main US military bases located in the Middle East?
Thursday 15 January 2026 23:00 , Bryony Gooch
Where are the main US military bases located in the Middle East?
In pictures: Iranians residing in Armenia hold a demonstration in solidarity with protestors
Thursday 15 January 2026 22:00 , Bryony Gooch
'All options on table to stop slaughter in Iran' says US ambassador to UN
Thursday 15 January 2026 21:32 , Bryony GoochThe United States stands by the “brave people of Iran” and president Donald Trump "has made it clear all options are on the table to stop the slaughter," US Ambassador to the United Nations Mike Waltz told the UN Security Council on Thursday.
It comes after White House press secretary said that Trump had warned Tehran that any further killing would have “grave consequences”.
How Iran’s internet blackout is affecting your social media feed
Thursday 15 January 2026 21:00 , Bryony Gooch
How Iran’s internet blackout is affecting your social media feed
Watch: Exiled Iranian Crown Prince says protest death toll could more than 12,000
Thursday 15 January 2026 20:30 , Bryony GoochFour Arab states urged against US-Iran escalation, official says
Thursday 15 January 2026 20:00 , Bryony GoochFour Arab states conducted intense diplomacy with the United States and Iran this week to prevent a threatened U.S. attack on Iran over Tehran's use of force against protesters that they feared would have impacts across the region, a Gulf official said.
Saudi Arabia, Qatar, Oman and Egypt were involved in the diplomacy over 48 hours before US president Donald Trump signalled on Thursday that he had ultimately decided against an attack for now, saying the killings in Iran were easing.
IFRC warns safety of humanitarian workers need protecting as one worker dies
Thursday 15 January 2026 19:30 , Bryony GoochThe International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies has shared a tribute after staff member Amir Ali Latifi was killed and five other workers were wounded in the line of duty in Gillan province on Saturday.
A statement reads: “The IFRC expresses its sincere condolences to his family, loved ones, and all IRCS colleagues.
“We stand in solidarity with the Iranian Red Crescent Society and all medical and humanitarian workers providing life-saving assistance during this difficult time. Humanitarian workers must be protected.
“The Iranian Red Crescent Society is a humanitarian organization and part of the International Red Cross and Red Crescent Movement, operating in accordance with the Fundamental Principles of Humanity, Neutrality, Impartiality and Independence.
“The safety and protection of humanitarian personnel, as well as respect for the Red Cross and Red Crescent emblems, are essential to ensure the continued delivery of impartial, life-saving assistance to people in need.
“The IFRC is deeply concerned about the consequences of the ongoing unrest on the people of Iran and is closely monitoring the situation in coordination with the Iranian Red Crescent Society.”
In pictures: Photos come out of Tehran as country remains in Internet blackout
Thursday 15 January 2026 19:00 , Bryony Gooch
Trump warns Iran that any further killing will have 'grave consequences'
Thursday 15 January 2026 18:52 , Bryony GoochDonald Trump has warned Tehran’s leadership that any further killing will have “grave consequences” as he continues to “closely monitor” the situation on the ground in Iran.
The US president has refused to rule out strikes on Iran, although he paused his threat of imminent strikes on Wednesday as Iran promised it would relent on its brutal crackdown of protests following more than two weeks of bitter nationwide unrest.
The White House said that so far 800 executions had been halted in what appeared to be a de-escalation in Iran.
Recap: Sanctions imposed on Iranian officials and prison
Thursday 15 January 2026 18:30 , Bryony GoochThe US on Thursday imposed sanctions on five Iranian officials it accused of being behind the crackdown on protests and said it was tracking Iranian leaders' funds being wired to international banks, as President Donald Trump keeps the pressure on Tehran.
The US treasury department in a statement said it imposed sanctions on the Secretary of the Supreme Council for National Security as well as Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps and law enforcement forces commanders, accusing them of being architects of the crackdown.
The US also imposed sanctions on Fardis Prison, where the State Department said women had "endured cruel, inhuman, and degrading treatment."
Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent in a video on Thursday said Washington's message to Iran's leaders was clear: "US Treasury knows, that like rats on a sinking ship, you are frantically wiring funds stolen from Iranian families to banks and financial institutions around the world. Rest assured, we will track them and you."
"But there's still time, if you choose to join us. As President Trump has said, stop the violence and stand with the people of Iran."
What are the latest casualty figures in Iran?
Thursday 15 January 2026 18:00 , James ReynoldsDonald Trump said on Wednesday that “we’ve been told that the killing in Iran is stopping”.
Reporting on casualties has been hindered by the internet blackout across the country, now more than 156 hours in, per NetBlocks.
The US-based Human Rights Activists News Agency (HRANA) reported on Wednesday that it had been able to verify 2,615 deaths, of which 2,435 were attributed to protesters and 153 were security forces and government supporters.
Some 882 deaths were still under investigation, it said.
13 of the deaths were attributed to people under the age of 18.
ICYMI: Iran says 'hanging is out of the question'
Thursday 15 January 2026 17:30 , James ReynoldsIranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araqchi said on Wednesday "there is no plan" by Iran to hang people, when asked about the anti-government protests in the Middle Eastern nation.
"There is no plan for hanging," the foreign minister told Fox News in an interview on the "Special Report with Bret Baier" show. "Hanging is out of the question," he said.
Analysis: Regime treating dissent as a 'proto-revolution', says research group
Thursday 15 January 2026 17:00 , James ReynoldsThe Institute for the Study of War, an American research group and advocacy think tank, assessed in its latest analysis that the Iranian regime has stopped distinguishing between legitimate protest and illegitimate anti-regime protests, viewing the unrest as a proto-revolution it must crush entirely.
The Iranians resisting the regime, in some cases violently, has reinforced the view that the protests retain the potential to turn into a revolution, it said.
This comes despite Donald Trump’s insistence that the regime is letting up on its vicious crackdown.
The organisation recorded zero protests on January 14, but said the regime is “sustaining repressive measures that impose a significant cost on the regime”.
“This suggests that the regime does not perceive that the threat from protests has subsided,” it said.
Watch: How Iran’s internet blackout is reshaping everyone’s algorithm
Thursday 15 January 2026 16:30 , James ReynoldsThe world is getting more dangerous, says Putin
Thursday 15 January 2026 16:11 , James ReynoldsVladimir Putin said on Thursday that the international situation that the world was getting more dangerous - but stopped short of mentioning Iran and Venezuela.
The Russian president’s foreign ministry has repeatedly taken aim at the US in recent days over its military operations and threats overseas.
Putin himself has yet to comment in public on the toppling of Venezuela's Nicolas Maduro, the protests in Iran or Trump’s threats to Greenland.
"The situation on the international stage is increasingly deteriorating - I don't think anyone would argue with that - long-standing conflicts are intensifying, and new serious flashpoints are emerging," Putin said.
In conversation with NetBlocks: How Iran’s internet blackout is quietly affecting your social media feed
Thursday 15 January 2026 15:30 , James ReynoldsIn an exclusive interview with The Independent, Alp Toker, founder of NetBlocks explains how the internet shutdown in Iran is not just causing local disruption.
“When there is a void or an information vacuum from a certain area, the algorithm still has to satisfy its constraints”, Toker says.
“That content is no longer what the user actually expected or wanted. It's now less relevant information, potentially even misleading or disinformation or misinformation that's going from irrelevant sources or those trying to alter the narrative.”
Watch the full video:
How Iran’s internet blackout is affecting your social media feed
Trump unveils new sanctions on Iran
Thursday 15 January 2026 15:12 , James ReynoldsThe Trump administration has issued new Iran-related sanctions, targeting more than a dozen individuals and entities.
Red Crescent says staff member killed in Iran
Thursday 15 January 2026 15:00 , James ReynoldsThe International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC) said on Thursday it was deeply saddened by the killing of Amir Ali Latifi, an Iranian Red Crescent Society (IRCS) staff member, and the wounding of five colleagues.
They were all in the line of duty in Gillan province, on 10 January 2026, a statement read. The organisation did not share details.
“The IFRC expresses its sincere condolences to his family, loved ones, and all IRCS colleagues,” a statement read.
“The safety and protection of humanitarian personnel, as well as respect for the Red Cross and Red Crescent emblems, are essential to ensure the continued delivery of impartial, life-saving assistance to people in need.
“The IFRC is deeply concerned about the consequences of the ongoing unrest on the people of Iran and is closely monitoring the situation in coordination with the Iranian Red Crescent Society.”
Canadian dies in Iran at the hands of the authorities, says Ottawa
Thursday 15 January 2026 14:57 , James ReynoldsA Canadian citizen has died in Iran at the hands of the Iranian authorities, Foreign Minister Anita Anand said on Thursday.
"Peaceful protests by the Iranian people - asking that their voices be heard in the face of the Iranian regime's repression and ongoing human rights violations - has led the regime to flagrantly disregard human life," she said.
Analysis: Regime treating dissent as a 'proto-revolution', says research group
Thursday 15 January 2026 14:30 , James ReynoldsThe Institute for the Study of War, an American research group and advocacy think tank, assessed in its latest analysis that the Iranian regime has stopped distinguishing between legitimate protest and illegitimate anti-regime protests, viewing the unrest as a proto-revolution it must crush entirely.
The Iranians resisting the regime, in some cases violently, has reinforced the view that the protests retain the potential to turn into a revolution, it said.
This comes despite Donald Trump’s insistence that the regime is letting up on its vicious crackdown.
The organisation recorded zero protests on January 14, but said the regime is “sustaining repressive measures that impose a significant cost on the regime”.
“This suggests that the regime does not perceive that the threat from protests has subsided,” it said.
