The US and UK are pulling staff from a military base in Qatar, after Tehran warned it would strike American targets in the region if Donald Trump orders strikes on Iran.
Tehran warned countries in the region that it would attack if the US engages in military action in Iran in response to the regime’s deadly repression of ongoing protests - a measure Donald Trump has been threatening for days.
The US is reducing the number of personnel at its Al-Udeid air base in Qatar, the Middle East's largest US base housing around 10,000 troops.
The government in Doha said, adding that the step was being taken "in response to the current regional tensions".
In June, some personnel were moved off bases in the Middle East before the US carried out air strikes in Iran.
President Donald Trump threatened to take "very strong action" if the Iranian government starts executing protesters. According to a rights group, 26-year-old Erfan Soltani is scheduled to become the first person executed in relation to the protests.
Meanwhile, US-based HRANA rights group said it verified the deaths of 2,571 people during Iran's protests, including 2,403 protesters and 147 government-affiliated individuals.
Key Points
- Staff advised to leave US base in Qatar amid threat of Iran strike
- Iran warns neighbours it will strike US bases if attacked
- Iran set to execute protester just six days after his arrest, rights group warns
- Trump says US would take 'very strong action' if Iran hangs protesters
- Iran death toll rises to at least 2,571, says monitoring group
- UK withdrawing military personnel from air base in Qatar
Family of Erfan Soltani protests for his release outside prison - report
18:30 , Alex CroftThe family of Erfan Soltani, who a rights group says will become the first person to be executed in Iran in connection with the latest protests, made a desperate bid to save him, according to a report.
Mr Soltani, 26, is one of the nearly 20,000 people who have been arrested, according to HRANA. But according to the Hengaw Organisation for Human Rights, he will be first to face execution.
Last night, his family protested outside the Ghezel Hesar prison where he is being held in solitary confinement, a member of the Hengaw Organisation for Human Rights told the Daily Mail.
In pictures: RAF planes at Al Udeid air base
18:15 , Bryony Gooch
Senior Iranian commander warns Tehran at 'peak of our readiness'
18:02 , Alex CroftA senior commander in Iran’s Revolutionary Guards has warned that Tehran is at the “peak of our readiness” to respond to any attack by US forces.
Brigadier general Seyyed Majid Mousavi also said Iran’s missile stockpile has increased since June - when the Twelve-Day war saw Iran, Israel and the US trade blows
UK withdrawing military personnel from air base in Qatar
17:38 , Bryony GoochKate Devlin, Whitehall Editor, reports:
The UK is withdrawing military personnel from a US-run base in Qatar, The Independent understands.
It follows the US also pulling staff from the Al Udeid Air Base.And it comes after Donald Trump told protesters in Iran that "help is on its way" as he promised "very strong action" if Tehran goes ahead with planned executions.
Iran has repeatedly said it will retaliate against US military sites in the region if America attacks.
A Ministry of Defence spokesperson said: “We do not comment on details of basing and deployments due to operational security.
“The UK always puts precautionary measures in place to ensure the security and safety of our personnel, including where necessary withdrawing personnel.”
Turkey in contacts with US and Iran
17:31 , Alex CroftTurkish foreign minister Hakan Fidan has spoken over the phone to Iranian foreign minister Abbas Araghchi, according to a Turkish Foreign Ministry source.
Mr Fidan stressed the need for talks to resolve current regional tensions in a call with his Iranian counterpart Abbas Araghchi on Wednesday.
A Turkish diplomatic source separately said Turkey was also in touch with US officials, following Donald Trump's threats to strike Iran.
Erfan Soltani: Who is the Iranian protester to be executed?
17:00 , Alex CroftIranian officials intensify diplomatic contacts
16:29 , Alex CroftIranian officials have intensified talks with international governments in recent days, as it looks to address the scrutiny of its repression of the protests.
Diplomatic contacts have been made between officials in Tehran and their counterparts in Qatar, Turkey, Iraq and France.
Iranian foreign minister Abbas Araghchi had also spoke with his counterpart in the United Arab Emirates, one of Iran's big trading partner, but also a close ally to both the US and Israel.
Araghchi told Sheikh Abdullah bin Zayed al-Nahyan that "calm has prevailed [in Iran] thanks to the vigilance of the people and law enforcement forces". He said Iranians are determined to defend their national sovereignty and security against any foreign interference, said the Iranian foreign ministry.
He also spoke on Tuesday with France's foreign minister Jean-Noel Barrot, and called on him to condemn "foreign interventionist in the internal affairs" of Iran.
France had summoned the Iranian ambassador over the "unbearable and inhumane" crackdown by Iranian authorities to quell protests across the country.
Direct US-Iranian communications cut after Trump threats, says Tehran
16:04 , Alex CroftDirect communications between Iran's foreign minister Abbas Araghchi and U.S. special envoy Steve Witkoff have been suspended, Reuters news agency is reporting.
It comes in response to Donald Trump's threats to intervene amid nationwide protests in Iran.
A senior Iranian official told the news agency that US threats undermine diplomatic efforts and that potential meetings between the two officials to find a diplomatic solution to a decades-long nuclear dispute have been cancelled.
Comment | Trump has finally stumbled on a target for his ugly tariff war
15:36 , Alex CroftDonald Trump can get some things right.
I say that with some hesitancy, given the fact that, in my opinion, his behaviour and policies represent a working definition of modern fascism, but the imposition of penal secondary tariffs of 25 per cent for countries that do business with Iran is one such.
At this critical juncture in Iran’s counter-revolution, any peaceful assistance that can be supplied to the Iranian people must, on balance, be the right thing to do. The move will add indirect pressure onto the regime in Iran via the effects on exports, principally oil, which fund the country’s leadership, security infrastructure and, of course, the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps, the only people to do well out of theocratic rule.
The Independent’s associate editor Sean O’Grady writes:
In Iran, Trump has finally stumbled on a proper target for his ugly tariff war
Qatar says precautionary measures taken in US air base in the country
15:11 , Alex CroftQatar said precautionary measures had been taken at the US-run Al Udeid Air Base, including the departure of some personnel, because of rising regional tensions, according to its International Media Office.
The office said the steps were part of broader efforts to safeguard the security of citizens and residents and to protect critical infrastructure and military facilities, adding that any further developments would be announced through official channels.
Trump waiting for 'accurate' numbers of protesters killed in Iran, then will 'act accordingly'
14:40 , Alex CroftFrance considers sending satellite terminals to Iran to provide internet connectivity
14:19 , Alex CroftFrance's foreign minister has raised the possibility of Paris sending Eutelsat satellite terminals to Iran, where millions of people are living under internet blackout as the Tehran regime looks to suppress ongoing protests.
"We are exploring all options, and the one you have mentioned is among them," Jean-Noel Barrot told lawmakers in parliament responding to a question about sending Eutelsat terminals to Iran.
Starmer calls out 'sickening repression' and says UK is working on sanctions
14:11 , Alex CroftThe Government is working with allies on further sanctions against the Iranian regime, the Prime Minister has said.
Speaking at the start of Prime Minister’s Questions, Sir Keir Starmer said: “Can I start by condemning in the strongest possible terms the sickening repression and murder of protesters in Iran.
“The contrast between the courage of the Iranian people and the brutality of their desperate regime has never been clearer.
“We’ve called out this brutality face to face, we’re working with allies on further sanctions and doing all we can to protect UK nationals.”
Dozens of Iranians cross border into Turkey amid protest crackdown
13:54 , Alex CroftDozens of Iranians have crossed the border into Turkey as authorities crackdown on one of the largest wave of protests the Tehran regime has ever seen.
Iranian families and individuals arrived in Turkey's eastern province of Van through the Kapikoy border gate, pulling luggage and other belongings with them as they made their way through the border gate and got on vehicles heading for nearby towns.
Those asked to speak to media declined to do so, expressing fear of repercussions in Iran when they return.
Two diplomats have told Reuters there has been an increase in the numbers of people crossing from Iran to Turkey after several countries advised their citizens to leave.
However, a Turkish security official at the border said that the situation at the gate was not extraordinary, with no notable increase in the numbers arriving, but that developments there were being closely monitored.
Bulletin | US tells staff to leave military base in Qatar as Iran ramps up attack threat
13:35 , Alex CroftAll you need to know in just five bullet points.
- US military staff at Al Udeid base in Qatar have been advised to leave amid escalating tensions with Iran.
- Tehran has warned it would target American interests in the region if Donald Trump orders military action against Iran.
- This warning follows Donald Trump's threats of 'very strong action' if Iran proceeds with executing protesters.
- One protester, 26-year-old Erfan Soltani, is reportedly scheduled to be the first person executed in connection with the ongoing unrest.
- A rights group has verified 2,571 deaths during Iran's protests, including 2,403 protesters and 147 government-affiliated individuals.
High inflation, currency collapse and soaring food prices: The damning numbers behind Iran’s economic implosion
13:20 , Alex CroftThe Iranian government has imposed a deadly crackdown on protests in Iran with more than 2,400 protesters killed in the past fortnight.
The protests began late last month when a currency crash led thousands of Iranians to take to the streets, spiralling into the most serious threat to the regime in years.
The economic collapse of the country is evident in the value of its local currency, the rial. Morningstar data shows it was around 42,000 rial to the dollar back in mid-December; fast forward to today and it’s more than 1.1m rial to the dollar, having been as high as 1.4m just days ago, an all time low.
In purchasing power terms of goods from outside the country, money is suddenly worth next to nothing for Iranians. Internally the picture isn’t a whole lot better.
The damning numbers behind Iran’s economic implosion as currency crumbles
France suspects Iran crackdown might be most violent in recent history
12:59 , Alex CroftFrance suspects that Iran's crackdown on demonstrations across the country is the most violent in the country's contemporary history, French foreign minister Jean-Noel Barrot said on Wednesday.
"What we suspect is that this is the most violent repression in Iran's contemporary history and that it must absolutely stop," Mr Barrot said.
A human rights expert also described the ongoing crackdown in Iran as one of the most severe in recent memory.
Asked on BBC Radio 4’s Today programme how the speed and scale of the crackdown compares to previous protests, Awyer Shekhi, from Kurdish human rights organisation Hengaw, said such measures have been seen before but “not as severe as this time”.
"We have never witnessed this scale of mass killings in the big cities like Tehran,” she said.
"We believe that Iranian government is doing all of this to spread more fear among the people, to kind of use this to control the population, to not allow any more protests to happen."
Russia rallies behind Iran as US weighs strikes
12:49 , James ReynoldsRussia’s veteran foreign minister Sergei Lavrov says that Moscow needs to keep working with Iran despite ‘unreliable’ US behaviour.
"Our American colleagues look unreliable when they act in this way," he told a news conference in Moscow.
He also said Washington was threatening to destroy the international order it helped build with its recent operations in Venezuela.
Trump says ‘Iran should behave’ in warning over nuclear tensions
12:37 , Alex CroftEU draws up new sanctions against Iranian officials
12:17 , Alex CroftEuropean Commission president Ursula von der Leyen says new sanctions will be imposed on Iranian officials over the crackdown on protesters.
"The rising number of casualties in Iran is horrifying. I unequivocally condemn the excessive use of force and continued restriction of freedom," von der Leyen said in a post on social media.
She said that in cooperation with EU foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas "further sanctions on those responsible for the repression will be swiftly proposed. We stand with the people of Iran who are bravely marching for their liberty”.
The EU has already imposed sanctions on members of the Revolutionary Guard Corps and others over past concerns about human rights abuses in Iran.
Lavrov says Moscow must keep working with Iran
11:56 , Alex CroftRussian foreign minister Sergei Lavrov said on Wednesday that Moscow needed to keep working with Iran to implement their bilateral agreements and that no other country could change the nature of ties between Russia and Iran.
Lavrov was speaking at a news conference in Moscow.
A senior Iranian official told the Reuters news agency on Wednesday that Tehran had warned neighbouring countries hosting US troops that it would retaliate against American bases if Washington carries out threats to intervene in protests in Iran.
Who is Erfan Soltani and why is Iran expected to execute the protestor today?
11:17 , Alex CroftAn Iranian protester is facing execution on Wednesday over his alleged involvement in protests sweeping the nation, rights groups have claimed.
Erfan Soltani, 26, could become the first person to be sentenced to death for participating in protests that have rocked the country over the last two weeks.
Mr Soltani was arrested at his home six days ago and rushed through the justice system to face the death penalty on Wednesday as the regime steps up its brutal crackdown on dissent, according to the Hengaw Organisation for Human Rights, an independent NGO based in Norway.
Who is Erfan Soltani and why is Iran expected to execute protestor today?
Family of Erfan Soltani protests for his release outside prison - report
11:16 , Alex CroftThe family of Erfan Soltani, who a rights group says will become the first person to be executed in Iran in connection with the latest protests, made a desperate bid to save him, according to a report.
Mr Soltani, 26, is one of the nearly 20,000 people who have been arrested, according to HRANA. But according to the Hengaw Organisation for Human Rights, he will be first to face execution.
Last night, his family protested outside the Ghezel Hesar prison where he is being held in solitary confinement, a member of the Hengaw Organisation for Human Rights told the Daily Mail.
Latest images coming out of Iran
10:58 , Alex Croft
Senior Iranian commander warns Tehran at 'highest level of readiness'
10:33 , Alex CroftA senior commander in Iran’s Revolutionary Guards has warned that Tehran is at the “peak of our readiness” to respond to any attack by US forces.
Brigadier General Seyyed Majid Mousavi also said Iran’s missile stockpile has increased since June - when the Twelve-Day war saw Iran, Israel and the UStrade blows
US staff advised to leave US base in Qatar amid threat of Iran strike
09:48 , Alex CroftSome personnel were advised to leave the U.S. military's Al Udeid Air Base in Qatar by Wednesday evening, three diplomats told Reuters.
Iran has warned countries in the region that it will strike US bases if Washington decides to carry out attacks in Iran - something which Donald Trump has been threatening for days.
The US embassy in Doha has not commented.
Al Udeid is the Middle East's largest US base housing around 10,000 troops. Ahead of the US air strikes on Iran in June some personnel were moved off US bases in the Middle East.
Turkey in contacts with US and Iran
09:43 , Alex CroftTurkish foreign minister Hakan Fidan has spoken over the phone to Iranian foreign minister Abbas Araghchi, according to a Turkish Foreign Ministry source.
Mr Fidan stressed the need for talks to resolve current regional tensions in a call with his Iranian counterpart Abbas Araghchi on Wednesday.
A Turkish diplomatic source separately said Turkey was also in touch with US officials, following Donald Trump's threats to strike Iran.
Iran state TV offers first official acknowledgement of high protester death toll
09:23 , Alex CroftDirect US-Iranian communications cut after Trump threats, says Tehran
09:06 , Alex CroftDirect communications between Iran's foreign minister Abbas Araghchi and U.S. special envoy Steve Witkoff have been suspended, Reuters news agency is reporting.
It comes in response to Donald Trump's threats to intervene amid nationwide protests in Iran.
A senior Iranian official told the news agency that US threats undermine diplomatic efforts and that potential meetings between the two officials to find a diplomatic solution to a decades-long nuclear dispute have been cancelled.
Iran warns neighbours it will strike US bases if attacked
08:50 , Alex CroftIran has warned regional countries that it will strike US military bases in those countries in case of an American attack on its soil, a senior Iranian official told Reuters on Wednesday.
The remarks follow President Donald Trump's threats to intervene amid nationwide anti-government protests.
"Tehran has told regional countries, from Saudi Arabia and UAE to Turkey, that U.S. bases in those countries will be attacked if U.S. targets Iran... asking these countries to prevent Washington from attacking Iran," the official told Reuters.
Comment | Trump has finally stumbled on a target for his ugly tariff war
08:36 , Alex CroftDonald Trump can get some things right.
I say that with some hesitancy, given the fact that, in my opinion, his behaviour and policies represent a working definition of modern fascism, but the imposition of penal secondary tariffs of 25 per cent for countries that do business with Iran is one such.
At this critical juncture in Iran’s counter-revolution, any peaceful assistance that can be supplied to the Iranian people must, on balance, be the right thing to do. The move will add indirect pressure onto the regime in Iran via the effects on exports, principally oil, which fund the country’s leadership, security infrastructure and, of course, the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps, the only people to do well out of theocratic rule.
The Independent’s associate editor Sean O’Grady writes:
In Iran, Trump has finally stumbled on a target for his ugly tariff war
Ongoing crackdown is the worst in recent history, warns human rights expert
08:19 , Alex CroftA human rights expert has described the ongoing crackdown in Iran as one of the most severe in recent memory.
Asked on BBC Radio 4’s Today programme how the speed and scale of the crackdown compares to previous protests, Awyer Shekhi, from Kurdish human rights organisation Hengaw, said such measures have been seen before but “not as severe as this time”.
"We have never witnessed this scale of mass killings in the big cities like Tehran,” she said.
"We believe that Iranian government is doing all of this to spread more fear among the people, to kind of use this to control the population, to not allow any more protests to happen."
China again weighs in on Trump's military threats
08:02 , Alex CroftChina has once again weighed in on Donald Trump’s threats to take military action in Iran, stating that it opposes any outside interference in Iran’s internal affairs.
Beijing does not condone the use or the threat of force in international relations, Mao Ning, spokesperson at the Chinese foreign ministry, said at a regular news conference when asked about China's position following Trump's comments.
Trump told CBS News in an interview that the United States would take "very strong action" if Iran starts hanging protesters.
Trump also urged protesters to keep protesting and said that help was on the way.
Erfan Soltani: Who is the Iranian protester to be executed?
07:49 , Alex CroftIranian officials intensify diplomatic contacts
07:32 , Alex CroftIranian officials have intensified talks with international governments in recent days, as it looks to address the scrutiny of its repression of the protests.
Diplomaric contacts have been made between officials in Tehran and their counterparts in Qatar, Turkey, Iraq and France.
Iranian foreign minister Abbas Araghchi had also spoke with his counterpart in the United Arab Emirates, one of Iran's big trading partner, but also a close ally to both the US and Israel.
Araghchi told Sheikh Abdullah bin Zayed al-Nahyan that "calm has prevailed [in Iran] thanks to the vigilance of the people and law enforcement forces". He said Iranians are determined to defend their national sovereignty and security against any foreign interference, said the Iranian foreign ministry.
He also spoke on Tuesday with France's foreign minister Jean-Noel Barrot, and called on him to condemn "foreign interventionist in the internal affairs" of Iran.
France had summoned the Iranian ambassador over the "unbearable and inhumane" crackdown by Iranian authorities to quell protests across the country.
France suspects Iran crackdown might be most violent in recent history
07:18 , Alex CroftFrance suspects that Iran's crackdown on demonstrations across the country is the most violent in the country's contemporary history, French foreign minister Jean-Noel Barrot said on Wednesday.
"What we suspect is that this is the most violent repression in Iran's contemporary history and that it must absolutely stop," Mr Barrot said.
EU draws up new sanctions against Iranian officials
07:00 , Namita SinghEuropean Commission president Ursula von der Leyen says new sanctions will be imposed on Iranian officials over the crackdown on protesters.
"The rising number of casualties in Iran is horrifying. I unequivocally condemn the excessive use of force and continued restriction of freedom," von der Leyen said in a post on social media.
She said that in cooperation with EU foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas "further sanctions on those responsible for the repression will be swiftly proposed. We stand with the people of Iran who are bravely marching for their liberty”.
The EU has already imposed sanctions on members of the Revolutionary Guard Corps and others over past concerns about human rights abuses in Iran.
Iran set to execute protester just six days after his arrest, rights group warns
06:45 , Namita SinghThe Iranian regime is due to execute a demonstrator on Wednesday over his alleged involvement in the protests sweeping the nation, rights groups have claimed.
Erfan Soltani, a resident of Fardis, just west of Tehran, could become the first person to be sentenced to death for participating in protests that have rocked the country over the last two weeks.
Mr Soltani, 26, was arrested at his home just six days ago and rushed through the justice system to face the death penalty on Wednesday as the regime steps up its brutal crackdown on dissent, according to the Hengaw Organisation for Human Rights, an independent NGO based in Norway.
More in this report:
Iranian protester ‘to be executed’ amid brutal crackdown, rights group says
Video: Trump waiting for 'accurate' numbers of protesters killed in Iran, then will 'act accordingly'
06:35 , Namita SinghGermany and France summon Iranian ambassadors
06:30 , Namita SinghGermany and France say they summoned their respective Iranian ambassador on Tuesday to protest the crackdown against demonstrators.
The German ministry wrote in a social media post that "the Iranian regime's brutal action against its own population is shocking."
It called on Iran to end the use of violence against its own people and "respect their rights”.
French foreign minister Jean-Noel Barrot denounced Iran's repression of protesters, which Barrot called "intolerable, unbearable, and inhumane".
Addressing lawmakers at France's National Assembly, Barrot said that France "condemned the repression in the strongest possible terms, denouncing this state violence that was unleashed blindly upon peaceful protesters”.
"I have conveyed this condemnation to the Iranian foreign minister and it will be reiterated to the Iranian ambassador to France, whom I summoned today to the Foreign Ministry," he added.
What happens next in Iran?
06:24 , Namita SinghRegime change, a return to monarchy or a bloody authoritarian crackdown? What are the future scenarios for Iran, asks chief international correspondent Bel Trew
From all-out war with US to a return of an exiled prince: What happens next in Iran?
ICYMI: Trump sends message of solidarity to Iranian protesters
06:15 , Namita SinghDonald Trump has sent a message to Iranian protesters that “help is on its way” as nationwide unrest grips the country amid a deadly crackdown on dissent.’
At least 2,000 people have been killed and thousands more arrested, according to human rights groups, with an impenetrable media blackout still in place.
The American leader called for demonstrations, triggered initially by a spiralling economy, to continue and warned Iran would “pay a big price” for the killings.
Report:
Trump sends message to Iranian protesters: ‘Help is on its way’
Russia strongly criticises US threats to strike Iran
06:00 , Namita SinghRussia's foreign ministry called on Tuesday the threats "categorically unacceptable".
The ministry warned in a statement that any such strikes would have "disastrous consequences" for the situation in the Middle East and global security. It also criticised what it called "brazen attempts to blackmail Iran's foreign partners by raising trade tariffs”.
The statement noted that the protests in Iran had been triggered by social and economic problems resulting from Western sanctions.
It also denounced "hostile external forces" for trying to "exploit the resulting growing social tension to destabilise and destroy the Iranian state" and charged that "specially trained and armed provocateurs acting on instructions from abroad" sought to provoke violence.
The ministry voiced hope that the situation in Iran will gradually stabilise and advised Russian citizens in the Islamic Republic not to visit crowded places.
Iran to hold funeral for security forces killed in protests
05:45 , Namita SinghIranian state TV says officials will hold a funeral on Wednesday for the "martyrs and security defenders" who have died in the nationwide protests that have intensified in the last week.
The semiofficial Tasnim news agency, believed to be close to Iran's paramilitary Revolutionary Guard, stated that the funeral will take place at Tehran University and will be the first among many state funerals held for security forces in the coming days.
Iran death toll rises to at least 2,571, says monitoring group
05:39 , Namita SinghThe US-based rights group HRANA said on Wednesday it had verified the deaths of 2,571 people during Iran's protests.
That figure incudes 2,403 protesters, 147 government-affiliated individuals, twelve people aged under 18 and nine non-protester civilians.
The group has been providing a running death toll throughout the protests, based on local activists on the ground confirming reported casualties.
Iranian and Qatari officials discuss Iran protests
05:30 , Namita SinghIranian and Qatari officials spoke on Tuesday about the deadly protests in Iran and America's escalating threats to intervene.
Ali Larijani, secretary of Iran's Supreme National Security Council, spoke by phone with Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al Thani, Qatar's prime minister.
In a statement on X, Al Thani said he "reaffirmed the State of Qatar's backing of all de-escalation efforts, as well as peaceful solutions to enhance security and stability in the region".
Qatar got caught in the crossfire during Israel's 12-day war in June when the Islamic Republic retaliated against US airstrikes on its nuclear facilities by targeting US forces at the Al Udeid Air Base outside of Doha.
Satellite internet provider Starlink now offering free service inside Iran
05:15 , Namita SinghElon Musk's satellite internet provider Starlink has begun operating a free service for people in Iran, activists said on Wednesday.
Mehdi Yahyanejad, a Los Angeles-based activist who has helped get the Starlink kits into Iran, told the Associated Press that the free service had started. Other activists also confirmed in messages online that the service was free.
Starlink has been the only way for Iranians to communicate with the outside world since authorities shut down the internet on Thursday night as nationwide protests swelled and they began a bloody crackdown against demonstrators.
Starlink itself did not immediately acknowledge the decision.
Iran eases some communications restrictions as activists say death toll surpasses 2,000
05:00 , Namita SinghIran eased some restrictions on its people and, for the first time in days, allowed them to make phone calls abroad via their mobile phones on Tuesday.
It did not ease restrictions on the internet or permit texting services to be restored as the death toll from days of bloody protests against the state rose to over 2,000.
Although Iranians were able to call abroad, people outside the country could not call them, several people in the capital told The Associated Press.
The witnesses, who spoke on condition of anonymity for fear of reprisal, said SMS text messaging still was down and internet users inside Iran could not access anything abroad, although there were local connections to government-approved websites.
It was unclear if restrictions would ease further after authorities cut off all communications inside the country and to the outside world late Thursday.
The satellite internet service Starlink has been the only way for Iranians to share videos and photos of the demonstrations with the outside world via since authorities shut down the internet Thursday night.
In an effort to get around the restrictions, Starlink began offering free service in Iran, activists said Wednesday. Starlink itself did not immediately acknowledge the decision.
Iran’s UN envoy expresses concern over Trump’s interventionist rhetoric
04:40 , Namita SinghIran’s UN envoy has penned a letter to the UN Security Council opposing Donald Trump’s “interventionist rhetoric” towards the country and criticising the US president for explicitly encouraging “political destabilisation”.
Criticising Trump’s post calling on protesters to take over Iranian institutions, he said it “incites and invites violence, and threatens the sovereignty, territorial integrity and national security of the Islamic Republic of Iran”.
U.S. fantasies and policy toward Iran are rooted in regime change, with sanctions, threats, engineered unrest, and chaos serving as the modus operandi to manufacture a pretext for military intervention. This playbook has failed before. The Iranian people will defend their… pic.twitter.com/aBvww5JqWQ
— I.R.IRAN Mission to UN, NY (@Iran_UN) January 13, 2026
“The statement explicitly made today by the President of the United States, calling for the ‘taking over of institutions,’ must be understood in the context of the failure of the 12-day war of aggression against the Islamic Republic of Iran in June 2025, and as an integral component of a broader regime-change policy,” said Iran’s UN envoy Amir Saeid Iravani.
“The United States and the Israeli regime bear direct and undeniable legal responsibility for the resulting loss of innocent civilian lives, particularly among the youth,” he said.
Earlier on Tuesday, Trump urged Iranians to keep up their protests, adding: "Help is on the way."
Trump calls on Tehran to show protesters humanity
04:20 , Namita SinghPresident Donald Trump was consulting with his national security team on Tuesday about possible next steps to take on Iran, as he looked to get a better understanding of the number of Iranian citizens who have been killed and arrested in more than two weeks of unrest throughout the country.
Trump said he believes that the killing is "significant" and that his administration would "act accordingly." He added that he believed the Iranian government was "badly misbehaving”.
But the president said he has yet to receive a confirmed number of Iranians killed in the protests that began late last month, saying he has heard "five different sets of numbers" about the death toll.
Since the protests began on 28 December, 16,700 people have been arrested and more than 2,500 have been killed, the vast majority protesters, according to the Human Rights Activists News Agency. The organisation is based in the US and relies on a network of activists inside Iran to confirm reported fatalities.
"The message is they've got to show humanity," Trump said of the Iranian government. "They've got a big problem. And I hope they're not going to be killing people."
Concerns about surge in executions as Iran airs 97 confessions
04:00 , Namita SinghActivists have raised alarm over a surge in executions connected to the latest protests, as Iranian state media aired at least 97 confessions from protesters, many expressing remorse for their actions since the protest began on 28 December.
The US-based Human Rights Activists News Agency says that based on testimony from prior detainees, the confessions often come after psychological or physical torture – and can have serious consequences, including the death penalty.
"These rights violations compound on top of each other and lead to horrible outcomes. This is a pattern that's been implemented by the regime time and time again," said Skylar Thompson, the group's deputy director.
Thompson said she is "gravely concerned" over a surge in executions connected to the latest protests, adding that many of the video confessions are serious security-related offences that carry the death penalty.
By comparison, from 2010 to 2020, there were around 350 forced confessions broadcast on state media, according to the activist groups Justice for Iran and the International Federation for Human Rights, the last major study compiled by activists.
The rights group Together Against the Death Penalty said there were 40 to 60 confessions aired in 2025.
In 2024, Iran executed 975 people, the highest number since 2015, according to a report by the United Nations. Four of the executions were carried out publicly. Iran carries out executions by hanging.
According to the UN report, most people in Iran are executed for drug-related offences or murder.
In 2024, security-related offences, such as espionage, accounted for just three per cent of the executions.
Tehran is known to have executed 12 people for espionage since the 12-day war in June between Israel and Iran.
The most recent execution for espionage was last week, when Iran said it executed a man who was accused of spying for Israel's Mossad spy agency in exchange for cryptocurrency. The state-run IRNA news agency said the man confessed to the spying charges.
Activists say Iran has aired at least 97 coerced confessions from protesters, often after torture
03:40 , Namita SinghThey are shown handcuffed, their faces blurred. The confession videos, broadcast on Iranian state media, feature dramatic background music interspersed with clips appearing to show protesters attacking security forces.
Some showcase gruesome homemade weapons that authorities claim were used in the attacks. Others highlight suspects in grainy security footage, appearing to set fires or destroy property.
Iran alleges these confessions, which often include references to Israel or America, are proof of foreign plots behind Iran's nationwide protests.
Report:
Activists say Iran has aired nearly 100 coerced confessions from protesters, often after torture
A timeline of Iran's growing protest movement
03:20 , James Reynolds28 December: Protests break out in two major markets in downtown Tehran, after the Iranian rial plunged to a new record low.
29 December: The central bank head resigns as the protests spread and police fire tear gas at protesters.
30 December: President Masoud Pezeshkian vows to work with business leaders to hear their demands as university campuses join protests.
31 December: Protests in Fasa allegedly turn violent after crowds break into the governor’s office.
1 January: The protests' first fatalities are officially reported, with authorities saying at least seven people have been killed.
2 January: Trump threatens Iran if it kills peaceful protesters.
3 January: Khamenei greenlights security forces to crack down on dissent. Protests reach 170 locations with 15 dead.
8 January: The government blocks the internet after Reza Pahlavi calls on citizens to act.
9 January: Iran ramps up threats of punishment with 65 reported killed and 2,300 detained.
11 January: Iran’s parliament speaker threatens to strike US military bases in the region if Trump attacks, as rights groups say 538 people have now been killed. HRANA reports arrests have surpassed 10,000.
12 January: Trump announces 25 per cent tariffs on any country doing business with Iran. The ISW reports protests have thinned significantly since their peak on 8 January, likely due to the internet blackouts.
13 January: HRANA reports more than 2,000 verified deaths as Donald Trump tells protesters that help is “on the way”. Russia backs Iran, denouncing “subversive external interference” and saying Trump’s threat of strikes is “categorically unacceptable”.
Recap: Iranian protester to be executed tomorrow as regime steps up brutal crackdown, rights group claims
03:00 , James ReynoldsErfan Soltani, a resident of Fardis, just west of Tehran, could become the first person to be sentenced to death for participating in protests that have rocked the country over the last two weeks.
Mr Soltani, 26, was arrested at his home just six days ago and rushed through the justice system to face the death penalty on Wednesday as the regime steps up its brutal crackdown on dissent, according to the Hengaw Organisation for Human Rights, an independent NGO based in Norway.
Read the full story:
Iranian protester ‘to be executed tomorrow’ amid brutal crackdown, rights group says
Recap: Yvette Cooper announces 'full and further sanctions' on Iran
02:00 , James ReynoldsICYMI: Trump sends Iran an ominous warning and tells protesters help is 'on the way'
01:00 , James ReynoldsDonald Trump on Tuesday told Iranians to keep protesting and said help was on the way, without giving details.
"Iranian Patriots, KEEP PROTESTING - TAKE OVER YOUR INSTITUTIONS!!!... HELP IS ON ITS WAY," Trump said in a post on Truth Social.
He added that he had cancelled all meetings with Iranian Officials until the "senseless killing" of protesters stopped.
How Iran is ‘jamming’ Starlink satellites to stop horror of protest crackdown reaching the outside world
00:00 , James ReynoldsAs concern mounts that the blackout is concealing atrocities against protesters, there have been growing calls for the US to assist in restoring connectivity in Iran.
Donald Trump on Sunday promised he would speak to Musk about using his Starlink service to restore internet across the country.
The Independent’s Alex Croft looks at how Iran is ‘jamming’ Starlink satellites to stop the horrors of the protest crackdown from getting out:
Iran ‘jamming’ Starlink to stop horror of protest crackdown reaching the world
Iran accuse Trump of encouraging political destabilisation
Tuesday 13 January 2026 23:20 , Bryony GoochIran accused US president Donald Trump on Tuesday of encouraging political destabilisation, inciting violence, and threatening the country’s sovereignty, territorial integrity, and national security, Iran's UN ambassador Amir Saeid Iravani wrote to the US Security Council.
"The United States and the Israeli regime bear direct and undeniable legal responsibility for the resulting loss of innocent civilian lives, particularly among the youth, he wrote in the letter, which was also sent to UN secretary-general Antonio Guterres.
He wrote the letter in response to a social media post by Trump earlier on Tuesday.
A timeline of Iran's growing protest movement
Tuesday 13 January 2026 23:00 , James Reynolds28 December: Protests break out in two major markets in downtown Tehran, after the Iranian rial plunged to a new record low.
29 December: The central bank head resigns as the protests spread and police fire tear gas at protesters.
30 December: President Masoud Pezeshkian vows to work with business leaders to hear their demands as university campuses join protests.
31 December: Protests in Fasa allegedly turn violent after crowds break into the governor’s office.
1 January: The protests' first fatalities are officially reported, with authorities saying at least seven people have been killed.
2 January: Trump threatens Iran if it kills peaceful protesters.
3 January: Khamenei greenlights security forces to crack down on dissent. Protests reach 170 locations with 15 dead.
8 January: The government blocks the internet after Reza Pahlavi calls on citizens to act.
9 January: Iran ramps up threats of punishment with 65 reported killed and 2,300 detained.
11 January: Iran’s parliament speaker threatens to strike US military bases in the region if Trump attacks, as rights groups say 538 people have now been killed. HRANA reports arrests have surpassed 10,000.
12 January: Trump announces 25 per cent tariffs on any country doing business with Iran. The ISW reports protests have thinned significantly since their peak on 8 January, likely due to the internet blackouts.
13 January: HRANA reports more than 2,000 verified deaths as Donald Trump tells protesters that help is “on the way”. Russia backs Iran, denouncing “subversive external interference” and saying Trump’s threat of strikes is “categorically unacceptable”.
Watch: Trump threatens ‘very strong action’ if Iran starts hanging protesters
Tuesday 13 January 2026 22:45 , Bryony GoochAmericans urged to flee Iran
Tuesday 13 January 2026 22:15 , Bryony GoochAmericans have been urged to flee Iran by the US department of state consular affairs.
It comes as Iran is set to carry out its first execution of a protester accused of taking part in the demonstrations.
Iran: U.S. citizens should leave Iran now. Consider departing by land to Türkiye or Armenia, if safe to do so. Protests across Iran continue to escalate. Increased security measures, road closures, public transportation disruptions, and internet blockages are ongoing. The… pic.twitter.com/w9suu499Ef
— TravelGov (@TravelGov) January 13, 2026
Comment: Why I think the Islamic Republic cannot survive this uprising
Tuesday 13 January 2026 22:00 , James ReynoldsA voice from our partner site, Independent Persian:
The public now demands regime change, financial resources are gone and support outside the country has collapsed, writes Mojtaba Dehghani
Why I think the Islamic Republic cannot survive this uprising
Trump says US would take 'very strong action' if Iran hangs protesters
Tuesday 13 January 2026 21:23 , Bryony GoochPresident Donald Trump said on Tuesday the United States would take "very strong action" if the Iranian government starts hanging protesters, but did not elaborate on what those actions would be.
"I haven't heard about the hanging. If they hang them, you're going to see some things... We will take very strong action if they do such a thing," Trump told CBS News in an interview.
Analysis - From all-out war with US to the return of an exiled prince: What happens next in Iran?
Tuesday 13 January 2026 21:00 , James ReynoldsRegime change, a return to monarchy or a bloody authoritarian crackdown? What are the future scenarios for Iran, asks chief international correspondent Bel Trew:
From all-out war with US to a return of an exiled prince: What happens next in Iran?
Elon Musk's Starlink offers services for free in Iran
Tuesday 13 January 2026 20:34 , Holly EvansElon Musk's SpaceX is offering its Starlink satellite service for free in Iran, according to Bloomberg.
The subscription fee has been waived so people with Starlink receivers in the country can access the service without paying, meaning that Iranians are now able to make calls abroad for the first time in days.
What do we know about Erfan Soltani, the 26-year-old that rights groups say faces the death penalty for his role in the protests?
Tuesday 13 January 2026 20:00 , James ReynoldsThe Iranian regime is due to execute a demonstrator on Wednesday over his alleged involvement in the protests sweeping the nation, rights groups have claimed.
Erfan Soltani, a resident of Fardis, just west of Tehran, could become the first person to be sentenced to death for participating in protests that have rocked the country over the last two weeks.
Read the full story:
Iranian protester ‘to be executed tomorrow’ amid brutal crackdown, rights group says
Trump continues to urge Iran protesters to take over institutions
Tuesday 13 January 2026 19:42 , Bryony GoochAndrew Feinberg, DC correspondent, reports:
Donald Trump has again urged Iran’s protesters to keep going and “take over” institutions as he spoke at an economic event in Detroit.
"And by the way, to all Iranian patriots keep protesting, take over your institutions, if possible, and save the name of the killers and the abusers that are abusing you, you're being very badly abused if the numbers are right.
"Now I hear five different sets of numbers. I hear numbers look one death is too much, but I hear much lower numbers, and then I hear much higher numbers, but I say save their names because they'll pay a very big price and I've canceled all meetings with the Iranian officials, until the senseless killing of protesters stops, and all I say to them is, help is on its way. You saw that.
“I put tariffs on anybody doing business with Iran just went into effect today. And and I say, make Iran, great again you know as a great country until these monsters came in and took it over."
Trump comments calls administration's interventions in Iran 'flawless'
Tuesday 13 January 2026 19:13 , Bryony GoochUS president Donald Trump has commented on his administration’s “flawless” work on the geopolitical stage, including references to interventions in Iran.
“We're working with the Venezuelan people and representatives. It was amazing, but that was an amazing situation.
“But we did Al Baghdadi flawless. We did Soleimani flawless. We did the Iran nuclear attack while we wiped out that nuclear capacity, which would have been very bad, you wouldn't have peace in the Middle East. Flawless.
“We did them all. Flawless. I want to keep it going that way too. I like flawless.”
Trump speaks at Detroit Economic Club
Tuesday 13 January 2026 19:04 , Bryony GoochPresident Trump is expected to speak about Iran as he speaks at an economic event in Detroit.
Stay tuned for more.
Recap: Russia breaks with Trump over Iran
Tuesday 13 January 2026 19:00 , James ReynoldsThe Kremlin issued a stark warning in defence of its ally Iran on Tuesday, as Donald Trump assured protesters that “help is on its way”.
Russia’s foreign ministry condemned what it called “subversive external interference” in Iran’s internal politics, rallying behind Tehran against US involvement.
“Those who plan to use externally inspired unrest as a pretext for repeating the aggression against Iran committed in June 2025 must be aware of the disastrous consequences of such actions for the situation in the Middle East and global international security,” it said in a statement, referring to the US and Israeli strikes last summer.
The foreign ministry said Donald Trump’s threat of strikes was “categorically unacceptable”.
The matter threatens to damage relations with Washington at a crucial time in US-mediated peace talks over Russia’s war in Ukraine.
Trump press conference to begin at 7pm UK time
Tuesday 13 January 2026 18:44 , Bryony GoochUS president Donald Trump is set to give a press conference in the next 15 minutes following comments on protests ongoing in Iran.
Stay tuned as we hope to bring you the latest updates from Trump on the protests.
Trump, asked about US help to Iran protesters, says people must figure it out
Tuesday 13 January 2026 18:44 , Bryony GoochUS president Donald Trump, asked what he meant by a social media post saying "help is on its way" to protesters in Iran, told reporters on Tuesday that they would have to figure it out.
"You're going to have to figure that one out. I'm sorry," Trump said in response to a question. Trump traveled to Detroit to give a speech on the economy.
