Cyprus Times

Trump Threatens Iran with 'Very Strong Action' Over Imminent Execution of Protester

Published January 14, 2026, 06:10
Trump Threatens Iran with 'Very Strong Action' Over Imminent Execution of Protester

Donald Trump has threatened Iran with "very strong action" if it proceeds with the execution of 26-year-old Iranian protester Erfan Soltani, who has been sentenced to death for his involvement in anti-government protests. Soltani is expected to be executed today and has been given only 10 minutes to say goodbye to his family. The warning from Trump comes at a time of heightened tension between the US and Iran, against the backdrop of protests that have rocked Iran for months. The protests began as a reaction to rising fuel prices but quickly evolved into a broader outcry against the regime and its policies. Authorities have violently suppressed the protests, resulting in the deaths of hundreds of people. Trump, in an interview with CBS, said he does not want to see what is happening in Iran and added that if the regime proceeds with the execution of Soltani, "we will take very strong action." When asked to clarify what he meant, he referred to the recent US operation in Venezuela and the killing of Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi. The human rights organization Hengaw reports that Soltani's family was informed of the death sentence but was "deliberately kept in the dark" about the judicial process. The organization expresses concern that the death penalty is being used as a tool to suppress protests. Iran accuses the US of seeking a pretext for military intervention.