US President Donald Trump has warned that the United States will take ‘very strong action’ against Iran if it carries out executions of protesters, after earlier assuring Iranians that “help is on the way.”
The warning comes as relatives of 26-year-old Erfan Soltani, detained last week, told BBC Persian that he is scheduled for execution today.
A US-based rights group says more than 2,400 anti-government demonstrators have been killed in a violent crackdown by Iranian authorities.
Trump has been considering military and other measures in response, having already imposed 25% tariffs on any country trading with Iran.
Read More: Donald Trump halts all new student visa interviews
Meanwhile, Iran’s government accused the US of trying to “manufacture a pretext for military intervention,” noting that “this playbook has failed before.”
Although some Iranians are now able to make phone calls abroad, an ongoing internet blackout is hindering verification of information from inside the country.