Iran’s chief prosecutor refuted U.S. President Donald Trump’s assertions that he stopped the hangings of 800 detained protestors in the country, labeling the claims as “completely untrue.” The death toll resulting from a violent crackdown on nationwide demonstrations escalated to a minimum of 5,032, according to activists.
Amid concerns that more individuals may have lost their lives, activists are facing challenges in verifying information due to Iran’s most extensive internet blackout, now surpassing two weeks. The ongoing tensions between the United States and Iran persist as an American aircraft carrier group moves closer to the Middle East, a move Trump likened to an “armada” in remarks to journalists on Thursday.
Experts suggest that the military buildup could provide Trump with the option to launch strikes, despite his reluctance to do so despite repeated warnings to Tehran. The mass execution of prisoners had been a red line for military intervention, with the killing of peaceful demonstrators being another trigger point.
While Trump seems to have backpedaled on his stance, possibly due to pressure from regional leaders and recognition that airstrikes alone might not be sufficient to destabilize the regime, military assets continue to be deployed in the region, signaling the potential for kinetic action, as highlighted in an analysis by the New York-based think tank, the Soufan Center.
Iran’s top prosecutor, Mohammad Movahedi, dismissed Trump’s claims of halting the execution of 800 protestors, asserting that no such decision had been made by the judiciary. Judiciary officials have labeled some detainees as “mohareb,” meaning “enemies of God,” a charge that carries the death penalty and was previously used in mass executions in 1988 that reportedly led to the deaths of at least 5,000 people.
During a UN Human Rights Council session in Geneva, Volker Türk, the UN high commissioner for human rights, expressed concerns over contradictory statements from Iranian authorities regarding the possible execution of individuals detained in connection with the protests. Iran has been noted as one of the top executioner states globally, with an approximate 50% increase in executions in 2024 compared to the previous year.
In Tehran, Mohammad Javad Haji Ali Akbari, the Friday prayer leader, ridiculed Trump, referring to him as a “yellow-faced, yellow-haired, and disgraced man” who is akin to a barking dog. The latest death toll figures released by the U.S.-based Human Rights Activists News Agency indicated that among the reported casualties, 4,716 were protestors, 203 were government-associated, 43 were minors, and 40 were civilians not participating in the protests.
The figures provided by the Human Rights Activists News Agency have been reliable in past instances of unrest in Iran and rely on activists within the country to confirm fatalities. The death toll surpasses that of previous protest movements or unrest in Iran and evokes memories of the turmoil during the 1979 Islamic Revolution.
As the American military escalates its presence in the Middle East, including deploying the aircraft carrier USS Abraham Lincoln and accompanying warships from the South China Sea, Trump mentioned that the fleet is being positioned towards Iran as a precautionary measure. Trump also referenced previous talks between American officials and Iran regarding its nuclear program before Israel’s military action against Iran in June.
The Iranian Foreign Ministry, under Abbas Araghchi’s leadership, has engaged in several rounds of negotiations with U.S. envoy Steve Witkoff concerning Iran’s nuclear program.
