Iran to execute protester amid crackdown on anti-regime demonstrations

Iran is set to witness further brutality as authorities have decided to execute their first protester on Wednesday amid mass arrests of anti-regime demonstrators, the New York Post reported, citing human rights groups.
Twenty-six-year-old Erfan Soltani is allegedly scheduled to be hanged following his arrest during protests in Karaj last Thursday (local time), according to Iran Human Rights (IHR) and the National Union for Democracy in Iran (NUFD).
The NUFD said that Soltani’s “only crime is calling for freedom for Iran”, news agency ANI reported.
The group has also appealed for international support to stop Soltani’s execution. As per the New York Post report, he has been unable to seek legal counsel to defend himself. He has been charged with “waging war against God”, an offence punishable by death in Iran.
According to a report by the Human Rights Activists News Agency on Monday, a total of 614 protest gatherings had been recorded nationwide by the end of the 17th day. These demonstrations took place across 187 cities in all 31 provinces of the country. The agency confirmed the detention of 18,434 individuals.
The report further said that the deaths of 2,403 protesters have been confirmed. Among those killed were 12 children, defined as individuals under the age of 18. A total of 147 members of security forces and government supporters were also killed, including at least five civilian supporters of the government.
Iran protests: Exiled crown prince Reza Pahlavi urges Iranians to continue the movement
Meanwhile, amid the continuing protests, exiled crown prince Reza Pahlavi on Tuesday (local time) appealed to protesters and the country’s armed forces, saying the world had not only seen and heard the demonstrators’ courage and voices but was also “taking action”.
He urged citizens to continue the movement against the Khamenei regime and warned that those responsible for violence would eventually be held accountable. In a video message shared on X, Pahlavi said US President Donald Trump had responded to the protests, asserting that the voices of Iranians were being heard beyond the country’s borders.
Addressing protesters directly, he said, “My compatriots, as I told you in my previous message, the world not only saw and heard your courage and voice but is taking action. By now, you have undoubtedly heard the message from the President of the United States. Help is on the way.”
Earlier in the day, US President Donald Trump said that Iran was on his mind and that he was being briefed on the regime’s crackdown on protesters.
“We`re going to look at the whole situation that`s going on in Iran. Really bad stuff. But Iran is on my mind when I see the kind of death that is happening over there. We`re going to get some accurate numbers as to what`s happening with regard to the killing,” Trump said during a press gaggle at Joint Base Andrews.
(With ANI inputs)