Iran has postponed the execution of a 26 year old clothes shop owner following mounting international pressure and a warning from United States President Donald Trump, who said there would be a strong response if detained protesters were executed.
The man, identified as Erfan Soltani, was scheduled to be hanged on Wednesday, January 14. He became the first protester in the latest wave of unrest in Iran to be handed a death sentence after participating in demonstrations last week.
Soltani’s family had publicly appealed to President Trump and other international leaders to intervene, saying the young shop owner had been unfairly targeted for taking part in protests. Their plea gained widespread attention online and drew concern from human rights advocates.
In response to the sentencing, President Trump warned that the United States would take very strong action if Iranian authorities began executing detained protesters.
“If they hang them, you’re going to see something,” Trump said while addressing reporters.
Shortly after the comments, Soltani’s family said they were informed by authorities that his execution would no longer proceed as scheduled. However, they cautioned that the decision only amounted to a postponement and not a cancellation of the sentence.
They added that Soltani remains in serious danger, noting that he is being held in solitary confinement at Ghezel Hesar prison and could still face execution at any time.
Hours later, Trump said he had been told on good authority that plans to carry out executions had been halted. Despite this claim, officials in Tehran indicated that fast track trials and harsh punishments could continue as part of the government’s ongoing crackdown on the protests.
Human rights organisations have reported a heavy toll from the unrest. According to the group Iran Human Rights, more than 3,400 people have been killed by Iranian security forces since protests erupted in late December, following public anger over economic hardship and political grievances.
Iran’s Foreign Minister, Abbas Araqchi, denied that there was any plan to carry out executions linked to the protests. Speaking during a television interview, he said hanging protesters was out of the question, despite longstanding reports from rights groups that executions remain common in Iranian prisons.
Araqchi also claimed that demonstrations which initially began peacefully later turned violent, alleging that the unrest was orchestrated by Israel. He added that calm had since been restored across the country.
As tensions between Iran and the United States continue to rise, Iranian authorities have closed the country’s airspace, fueling fears of possible military confrontation. When asked whether military intervention remained an option, Trump said the situation was being closely monitored.
“We’re going to watch and see what the process is,” he told reporters, adding that he had received a very good statement from people familiar with developments on the ground.
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