Iran protests highlights: Iran chief justice questions protesters, human rights groups object

Iran protests LIVE: The G7 countries warned of further sanctions against Iran amid the deadly crackdown on demonstrators amid simmering tensions in Iran. “The members of the G7 remain prepared to impose additional restrictive measures if Iran continues to crack down on protests and dissent in violation of international human rights obligations,” the foreign ministers of Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, the United Kingdom, the United States and the European Union’s main foreign policy chief said in a joint statement. The leaders said the G7 members were “gravely concerned” by the developments in Iran, and that they “strongly oppose the intensification of the Iranian authorities’ brutal repression of the Iranian people".

“We strongly oppose the intensification of the Iranian authorities’ brutal repression of the Iranian people, who have been bravely voicing legitimate aspirations for a better life, dignity and freedom, since the end of December 2025,” the statement published in EU's website said. The G7 countries urged the Iranian authorities to “exercise full restraint, to refrain from violence, and to uphold the human rights and fundamental freedoms of Iran’s citizens”.

Iran protests LIVE: Amid the ongoing agitation in Iran, Chinese foreign minister Wang Yi on Thursday called for restraint, China's state-run news agency Xinhua reported. Wang said Beijing opposed "the use or threat of force in international relations. "China... opposes the use or threat of force in international relations, opposes countries imposing their own will on other countries," Wang told Araghchi, adding that China was "willing to play a constructive role" toward a resolution.

China's remarks come amid heightened global tensions over Iran protests as Trump hinted at a ‘wait and see’ approach after issuing multiple warnings of intervention to quell the unrest in Iran which, according to an NGO, has killed over 3,400 individuals.

With inputs from AFP

Iran protests LIVE: Following US President Donald Trump's remarks that he would ‘watch and see’ about military action over the crackdown on protesters, Iran vowed to defend itself against any foreign threat. Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi also told Saudi Arabian counterpart Faisal bin Farhan of the importance of "global condemnation of foreign interference in the internal affairs of regional countries".

via AFP

Iran protests LIVE: Several European airlines on Thursday continued to avoid Iranian airspace despite its reopening after temporary partial closure on Wednesday.

Airlines like Wizz Air, Lufthansa and British Airways dodged Iraqi and Iranian airspace on Thursday, according to Reuters, which cited flight tracking websites to report the information. The airlines opted instead for routes over Afghanistan and central Asia to avoid the unrest hit Middle East region.

Iran closed, then reopened after nearly five hours its airspace after on Wednesday amid concerns about possible military action between the US and Iran that forced airlines to cancel, reroute or delay flights.

China's foreign minister called for dialogue and restraint in resolving disputes in a phone call with his Iranian counterpart on Thursday, according to a readout released by China's state-run news agency Xinhua.

China opposed the use or threat of force in international relations, and said it believes Iranian government and people could overcome difficulties and safeguard national stability, Wang Yi told Iranian foreign minister Abbas Araqchi.

China hoped all parties would cherish peace, exercise restraint and resolve differences through dialogue, he said, adding that Beijing was willing to play a constructive role.

(via Reuters)

Iran protests LIVE: Without ruling out the possibility of US military action, US President Donald Trump said on Wednesday he had been told that killings in Iran’s crackdown on protests were easing and that he believed there was no current plan for large-scale executions.

He hinted at adopting a wait‑and‑see approach after issuing multiple warnings of intervention to quell the unrest in Iran which, according to an NGO, has killed over 3,400 individuals.

After Iran's foreign minister said Iran had "no plan" to hang people, Iranian state media on Thursday reported that a 26-year-old man arrested during protests in the city of Karaj would not be given the death sentence.

“We’ve been told that the killing in Iran is stopping -- it’s stopped -- it’s stopping,” Associated Press, AFP and other news agency quoted Trump as saying at the White House while signing executive orders and legislation. “And there’s no plan for executions, or an execution, or executions -- so I’ve been told that on good authority.”

Trump said he would “find out” later if it was true, but he didn't explain how.

Iran protests LIVE: German lawmaker Norbert Rottgen on Thursday called for designation of Iran’s Revolutionary Guards as a terrorist group, saying it would have a strong impact and raise pressure on Tehran.

“The terror listing of the Revolutionary Guards would have a concrete effect,” Rottgen said in a post on X.

He said the move would hit financially and politically the group he described as elites of the repression apparatus.

Iran protests LIVE: Videos of demonstrations that were flooding social media so far - through whatever means protesters were getting to communicate to the outer world - broadly have stopped coming out of Iran, likely signaling the slowdown of their pace under the heavy security presence in major cities.

The UN Security Council, meanwhile, scheduled an emergency meeting on Iran at the request of the United States on Thursday afternoon.

Fears of a US strike loomed but US President Donald Trump made a series of vague statements on Wednesday that left unclear what American action, if any, would take place against Iran.

Interacting with reporters, Trump said he had been told that plans for executions in Iran have stopped, without providing many details. The shift comes a day after Trump told protesters in Iran that “help is on the way” and that his administration would “act accordingly” to respond to the Islamic Republic’s deadly crackdown.

(via AP)

Iran protests LIVE: Turkey on Thursday called for dialogue to the unrest in Iran, triggered by mass protests which have also led to international tensions.

"We absolutely want problems to be resolved through dialogue," Reuters quoted Turkish foreign minister Hakan Fidan as saying in Istanbul.

"Hopefully, the United States and Iran will resolve this issue among themselves -- whether through mediators, other actors, or direct dialogue. We are closely following these developments," he said.

Iran protests LIVE: The US Embassy in Jerusalem issued an advisory o Thursday and asked all US citizens in Israel to exercise caution amid tensions in the Middle East region over Iran protests.

“Given ongoing regional tensions, the U.S. Embassy in Jerusalem continues to reiterate standard advice to its personnel and all U.S. citizens in Israel to exercise good personal security and preparedness practices. We encourage all travelers to review our most recent Security Alerts, review any travel plans in case of disruptions, and make appropriate decisions for themselves and their families. Crises can happen unexpectedly while traveling or living abroad, and a good plan helps you think through potential scenarios and determine in advance the best course of action,” the US Embassy in Jerusalem said through an X post.

The advisory, however, added that US Mission posture, staffing, and operations are unchanged, and consular services continue as normal.

1- Iran protest death toll: More than 3,400 people have reportedly been killed since protests erupted, as Iran's crackdown on protesters intensified and prompted US warnings of possible intervention.

2- Iran airspace partially closed: Iran shut its airspace to commercial flights without explanation early Thursday amid heightened tensions with the United States.

3- Airspace reopens after five hours: Iranian airspace, closed to commercial flights for nearly five hours on Thursday, was reopened after the disruption forced multiple airlines to reroute.

4- US shifts troops from Middle East bases: The airspace closure coincided with reports of the US moving some personnel from regional military bases, after a senior Iranian official warned neighbouring countries they could be targeted if Washington launches strikes, Reuters reported.

5- Iran internet blackout: Authorities have imposed one of the most extensive internet blackouts in recent years, restricting communications and limiting independent repo

US President Donald Trump said on Wednesday that Iranian opposition figure Reza Pahlavi "seems very nice" but expressed uncertainty over whether Pahlavi would be able to muster support within Iran to eventually take over.

In an exclusive Reuters interview in the Oval Office, Trump said there was a chance Iran's clerical government could collapse, blamed Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy for the stalemate in negotiations with Russia over the war in Ukraine, and dismissed Republican criticism of a Justice Department probe of Federal Reserve Chairman Jerome Powell.

(via Reuters)

Iran protests LIVE: Erfan Soltani, a 26-year-old Iranian man, is reportedly the first anti-Khamenei protester who was arrested on January 10 and faces a risk of execution.

Human rights groups claimed Soltani was scheduled to be executed on January 14. Amnesty International has called on Iran to halt all executions linked to the protests, including that of Soltani.

Iran’s judiciary on Thursday denied that Soltani had been sentenced to death, making US President Donald Trump believe that the alleged killing of protesters has abated in Iran.

Iran protests LIVE: Mohammad Pakpour, commander of Iran’s paramilitary Revolutionary Guard, threatened Wednesday that the country would give a “decisive response” to what he described as the death of Iranian “martyrs and security protectors,” according to Iran’s semiofficial Tasnim news agency.

Pakpour reiterated Iranian officials’ claims that US and Israel have a key role in instigating these protests and that they are the “main killers” of the hundreds of casualties. He added that those countries will “receive the response in the appropriate time.”

(via AP)

Iran protests LIVE: Iran Human Rights (IHRNGO), a non-partisan and politically independent organisation based in Norway, has claimed that the 18 days of anti-government nationwide protests in Iran has killed at least 3,428 protesters and injured thousands.

IHRNGO said it has learned through sources within the Islamic Republic’s Ministry of Health and Medical Education that, between January 8 and 12 alone, the deaths of at least 3,379 protesters were registered.

“It should be noted that the total figure is an absolute minimum. New reports and testimonies received by IHRNGO further illustrate the scale of the violence,” an IHRNGO report said.

It cited witness accounts to report that a a group of young protesters in Rasht were trapped in the bazaar area amid fires and surrounded by security forces raised their hands in surrender, but were shot dead.

IHRNGO said it has also received numerous reports of injured individuals being “finished off”, with witnesses reporting that this occurred both on the streets and in medical facilities.

Iran protests LIVE: France is reportedly exploring the possibility of sending Eutelsat satellite terminals to Iran to help restore internet access amid an ongoing communications blackout.

France’s foreign minister Jean-Noel Barrot told lawmakers in parliament that the government was “exploring all options”, including the use of Eutelsat terminals, when asked about measures to support internet access in Iran on Wednesday, Al Jazeera reported.

Iranian authorities have imposed nationwide internet restrictions since protests escalated on January 8.

Iran protests LIVE: A Delhi-bound IndiGo flight from Tbilisi, Georgia, narrowly made it through Iranian airspace just before Tehran abruptly shut its skies, aviation data and airline statements showed - underscoring how the sudden closure has thrown international flight operations into disarray.

IndiGo flight 6E1808, which departed Tbilisi late on Wednesday night, passed over Iran at about 2.35 am on Thursday and landed in Delhi at 7.03 am, according to real-time tracking data from Flightradar24. Read full report here

Iran protests LIVE: US President Donald Trump wants any potential US military action against Iran to be “swift” and “decisive,” American news portal NBC News reported, citing people familiar with internal discussions.

The report said Trump and senior advisers have been mulling military options while closely monitoring developments in Iran.

Sources cited by the portal said that any operation, if ordered, would be designed to avoid a prolonged conflict.

Iran protests LIVE: While the internet and communication blackout has kept any information from Iran leaking out amid protests, witnesses who anonymously managed to communicate with media outlets described the crackdown on the stir as brutal.

The US-based Institute for the Study of War said authorities were using "an unprecedented level of brutality to suppress protests," noting reports of protest activity had sharply declined.

New videos, which AFP news agency verified the locations of, showed bodies lined up in the Kahrizak morgue south of Tehran, wrapped in black bags as distraught relatives searched for loved ones.

Iran protests LIVE: Deutsche Lufthansa AG will avoid Iranian and Iraqi airspace and might cancel some flights, a spokesperson said in an emailed statement.

Lufthansa said it will operate flights to and from Tel Aviv and Amman as day flights from Jan 15 to Jan 19, meaning crews will fly back immediately after their flights without staying overnight

In some cases, flights may also be canceled, and affected passengers will be automatically rebooked and proactively contacted.

(via Bloomberg)

Iran protests LIVE: A US official, speaking on condition of anonymity, said the United States was pulling some personnel from key bases in the region as a precaution given heightened regional tensions, Reuters reported.

"All the signals are that a US attack is imminent, but that is also how this administration behaves to keep everyone on their toes. Unpredictability is part of the strategy," a Western military official told Reuters later on Wednesday.

At the White House, however, Trump suggested he was adopting a wait-and-see posture toward the crisis.

While timing remained unclear, two European officials said US military intervention could come in the next 24 hours. An Israeli official also said it appeared Trump had decided to intervene, though the scope and timing remained unclear.

Iran protests LIVE: The Iran airspace allows a shorter routes between continents as the country lies on a key East-West route for airlines. The key East–West airline route is the Europe-Asia air corridor across the Middle East, with Iranian airspace as a central link.

It’s the most direct great-circle route between Europe and South Asia, Southeast Asia, and East Asia, allowing airlines to save time and fuel. Rerouting around Iran adds hours and extra cost for airlines. Tap to read full report here

Iran protests LIVE: Trump said at White House on Wednesday he had now received assurances from "very important sources on the other side" that Tehran had now stopped, and that executions would not go ahead, hinting a pause on a possible US military action.

"They've said the killing has stopped and the executions won't take place -- there were supposed to be a lot of executions today and that the executions won't take place -- and we're going to find out," AFP news agency quoted Trump.

Asked by a reporter in the Oval Office if US military action was now off the table, Trump replied: "We're going to watch it and see what the process is."

Iran protests LIVE: Iran's supreme leader Ali Khamenei, a key figure of country's theocratic system since the inception of the Islamic revolution, has managed to dodge many crises throughout his rule with a mixture of repression and strategic manoeuvring. He now faces his biggest challenge.

Khamenei, now 86, has dominated Iran for the last three-and-a-half decades since taking on the post for life in 1989 as leader of the Islamic revolution following the death of revolutionary founder Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini. Tap here to read more on Khamenei

(via AFP)

Iran protests LIVE: Iran Human Rights (IHRNGO) said on Wednesday that the 19 days of anti-government nationwide protests in Iran have left at least 3,428 protesters dead and thousands injured.

IHRNGO has learned through sources within the Islamic Republic’s Ministry of Health and Medical Education that, between January 8 and 12 January alone, the deaths of at least 3,379 protesters were registered.