President Donald Trump has warned that the United States will take “very strong action” against Iran if it executes anti-government protesters, as human rights groups report that more than 2,400 demonstrators have been killed in a brutal crackdown by Iranian authorities.
Relatives of 26-year-old Erfan Soltani, detained last week, told BBC Persian that he is scheduled to be executed on Wednesday. A representative from the Hengaw Organisation for Human Rights said the case is unusually fast-moving, adding, “We have never witnessed a case move so quickly.”
Speaking to CBS News, Trump stated, “If they hang them, you’re going to see some things… We will take very strong action if they do such a thing.” Soltani’s family noted that an Iranian court issued the death sentence in just two days.
Awyar Shekhi of Hengaw described the case as an example of Iran using “every tactic they know to suppress people and spread fear.”
An Iranian official told Reuters that 2,000 people had been killed during the unrest, blaming “terrorists” for the violence.
Trump said he planned to attend a White House meeting on Tuesday night to discuss the situation in Iran and pledged to obtain “accurate numbers” on the protest-related deaths.
According to the US-based Human Rights Activists News Agency (HRANA), 2,403 protesters, including 12 children, have been confirmed killed despite an internet blackout. Nearly 150 individuals linked to the government have also died.
Trump told reporters returning to the White House, “The killing looks like it’s significant, but we don’t know yet for certain. Once we have the numbers, we’ll act accordingly.”
