What we know
• Executions stopped: US President Donald Trump said Iran had called off scheduled executions of detained protesters and that he was told “the killing has stopped” in the country. But he also said he was still weighing military action, and his administration would continue to monitor the regime’s actions.
• Warnings mount: Some US personnel were urged to leave a US military base in Qatar as a “precaution,” sources told CNN. Multiple nations have urged their citizens to leave Iran, and some airlines are rerouting flights to avoid Iranian airspace.
• Blackout persists: At least 2,400 protesters have been killed since the start of Iran’s crackdown on dissent, according to a US-based rights group. The crackdown has escalated under a state-imposed communications blackout that has lasted nearly a week.
US sanctions Iranians it alleges were responsible for protester crackdown
The Trump administration today announced new sanctions against Iranian individuals and entities that it alleges drove the crackdown on protesters and laundered the proceeds of oil sales to foreign markets.
Bessent said the sanctions, from the Treasury Department Office of Foreign Assets Control, target 18 individuals and entities that the regime “uses to evade sanctions on Iranian oil and divert proceeds from its energy sales away from the rightful owners, the Iranian people.” Those sanctioned include Ali Larijani, the Iranian national security chief.
The move comes as President Donald Trump is weighing military action against Iran and has pledged to protesters that help is on the way. Trump already announced a 25% tariff against countries that do business with Iran. But seeming to dial back his aggressive posture of recent days, Trump said Wednesday that he had been told that that the killing in Iran would stop.
Canadian dies "at the hands of the Iranian authorities," Canada's foreign minister says
A Canadian citizen has died in Iran “at the hands of the Iranian authorities,” Canada’s Foreign Minister Anita Anand posted on X Thursday, without providing additional details about the incident.
“Our consular officials are in contact with the victim’s family in Canada and my deepest condolences are with them at this time,” Anand said.
She did not identify the victim nor say when they died.
More than 2,400 protesters have been killed since Iran cracked down on the anti-government protests which began just over two weeks ago, according to US-based Human Rights Activists News Agency (HRANA). CNN is unable to verify HRANA’s figures.
“Peaceful protests by the Iranian people – asking that their voices be heard in the face of the Iranian regime’s repression and ongoing human rights violations – has led the regime to flagrantly disregard human life,” Anand said. “This violence must end. Canada condemns and calls for an immediate end to the Iranian regime’s violence.”
AI-generated videos of Iran protests spread online amid internet blackout, watchdog says
Some videos circulating online that purport to show protests in Iran have been generated by artificial intelligence, a U.S.-based disinformation watchdog group said, as the country’s internet blackout makes it increasingly difficult to verify footage.
NewsGuard said in a report that it has identified seven AI-generated videos shared by both pro- and anti-government accounts claiming to show the unrest, with some clips drawing as many as 3.5 million views.
In one video identified by NewsGuard, women protesters appear to be smashing a vehicle said to belong to the Basij, Iran’s large volunteer paramilitary group, established by the Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei and often used to crack down on demonstrations.
The post received 719,600 views and 5,700 likes in a single day, NewsGuard said. But after analyzing the footage with the detection tool Hive, the watchdog found there was a 100 percent likelihood the video had been AI-generated.
“The video shows clear signs of AI-generation, including shards of glass that appear inexplicably and misspelled words,” the report said.
Another set of videos shared by U.S.-based conservative, anti-regime accounts purported to show Iranian protesters changing street signs to symbolically rename them after President Donald Trump. One of those clips received 91,000 views and 7,100 likes in a day, but NewsGuard said its analysis found with 100 percent certainty that it too had been generated by AI.
Since the protests broke out in December, at least 2,400 demonstrators have been killed, according to the US-based Human Rights Activists News Agency (HRANA). With Iran largely cut off from the internet, only a portion of deaths can be confirmed, raising fears the true toll is far higher.
Internet monitoring group NetBlocks says Iran has now been without internet access for seven days, after authorities imposed a nationwide shutdown last week, severely limiting the flow of images, videos and eyewitness accounts.
Despite the blackout, CNN has been able to reach some people on the ground when brief landline and mobile calls become available.
CNN’s Renée Rigdon, Adrienne Vogt and Helen Regan contributed to this report
Red Crescent says staff member killed in Iran
A staff member working for the Iranian Red Crescent Society was killed in Iran on Saturday, according to the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC).
Amir Ali Latifi was killed in Gilan Province in the northwest of Iran, while five other Iranian Red Crescent workers were wounded “in the line of duty,” according to a statement posted on X today.
The IFRC could not provide CNN with any more details immediately, due to the difficulties in verifying reports from inside Iran amid a state-imposed communications blackout.
“We stand in solidarity with the Iranian Red Crescent Society and all medical and humanitarian workers providing life-saving assistance during this difficult time,” according to the IFRC’s statement, which was issued yesterday.
Normal life resumes in Tehran but residents brace for possible US action
Tehran is beginning to show signs of a return to normalcy, but some Iranians say they are still bracing for a possible US attack after weeks of protests against the regime and a brutal crackdown that left thousands dead.
The protests began in Tehran in December and were initially motivated by worsening economic conditions, but quickly spread across the country, fuelled by widespread dissatisfaction with the regime.
As the Iranian authorities’ crackdown on dissent intensified, US President Donald Trump signaled his administration was weighing a potential military response, before indicating this week that the United States would “wait and see.”
In a video published by Reuters one Tehran resident, Abolfazi, said the US president “speaks a lot” but Iranians would not be intimidated.
“He seeks to make the Iranian people kneel,” he said. “This is a mistake. We will stand up to him with all our ability.”
Another resident, Mohammad Haeri, said daily life in Tehran was getting back to normal after the mass protests, but economic hardship persisted.
“People come to shop a bit more,” Haeri said. “But the whole cost of living situation for people is [still] weak, especially in shopping.”
At least 2,400 protesters have been killed in the crackdown on protests, according to US-based Human Rights Activists News Agency (HRANA). CNN is unable to verify HRANA’s figures.
Last June, the US struck three Iranian nuclear facilities during the Israel and Iran war. In response, Iran hit Al-Udeid Air Base in Qatar. Haeri said he believed that response was strong enough to deter further attacks.
“We gave the US a firm response last time, I don’t think they dare to attack again,” Haeri said.
Analysis: Iran has tremendous oil reserves
The Iranian government is at its weakest point in years, destabilizing yet another OPEC nation less than two weeks after the US toppled the government of Venezuela.
Iran controls the third-largest proven oil reserves on Earth and one of the world’s most important oil shipping lanes.
Iran produces about 3.2 million barrels of oil per day, on average, according to OPEC, accounting for roughly 4% of global crude production. That makes Iran the world’s sixth-largest oil producer — an impressive feat, considering Iran faces sanctions that have limited its potential customers. To skirt sanctions, Iran operates a shadow fleet of vessels to export oil at a steep discount.
But Iran’s potential far outweighs its actual output. The country is sitting on 209 million barrels of oil in reserve, behind only Venezuela and Saudi Arabia. And its daily production is less than half the 6.5 million barrels per day Iran produced in the mid-1970s before revolutionaries overthrew the Shah.
China is by far Iran’s biggest customer: It buys 89% of Iran’s oil, according to the US Energy Information Administration. Like Venezuela, Iran nationalized the country’s energy infrastructure after expropriating foreign oil companies’ assets.
But Iran is much more important for global energy than Venezuela.
The price of oil has already risen sharply because of the threat of disruption to Iran’s oil. And oil could rise significantly if the US strikes Iran – but that depends on the extent of the possible attack and Iran’s response.
But Iran also has the power to inflict serious damage on the oil market: It controls the northern side of the Strait of Hormuz, a pinch point for other oil-producing countries through which 20 million barrels of crude — about one-fifth of daily global production — flow. The strait is the only way to ship crude from the Persian Gulf to the rest of the world.
In photos: Residents of Tehran go about their daily lives as unrest looms over capital
The banality of everyday life lived under the shadow of social unrest and potential war with the US: That’s how one middle-aged Tehran resident described the mood on the ground in a brief phone call with CNN this week.
Across the capital, people are trying to go about their daily routine as much as possible — going to work, visiting family, keeping medical appointments or buying groceries.
Nonetheless, the shock and trauma of the violence of the last few couple of days are never too far away.
Iran may not be able to stop instability from spreading beyond its borders, defense minister warns
Iran’s Defense Minister Aziz Nasirzadeh said Thursday that the government may not be able to prevent instability from spreading beyond its borders, a prospect that has concerned Tehran’s neighbors.
In a statement broadcast on Iran’s state-run IRIB news agency, Nasirzadeh said authorities will use all their power to suppress “armed, brutal terrorists,” but may not be able to control insecurity spilling into neighboring territories.
Iran’s fractious social fabric has helped fuel calls by multiple opposition groups for demonstrators to take to the streets against the regime, including groups that aspire to secede from the Islamic Republic.
He claimed that some “rioters attacked military bases to take weapons and use them in the unrest.”
Without providing evidence, he also claimed that some protestors attacked religious and cultural sites, as well as threatened shopkeepers, arguing that those actions are security threats rather than protests or economic demonstrations.
Some background: The Defense minister’s comments follow a Wednesday statement from the intelligence arm of Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) that outlined recent operations against what it described as “armed terrorists” and foreign-backed unrest in the country. The IRGC said it was working to counter what it called the “American-Zionist project of unrest,” according to state-run IRIB.
Also on Wednesday, Iran’s Minister of Justice Amir Hossein Rahimi argued that from January 8 onwards, the unrest “wasn’t just protests, but this was an internal war. Anyone who has been arrested in that time frame is guilty because they were at the scene.”
China says it is willing to play a “constructive role” in easing Iran tensions
China says it could play a “constructive role” in easing tensions around Iran, as Beijing warned against a return to what it called a global “law of the jungle.”
During a phone call with his Iranian counterpart, Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi said Beijing “opposed the use or threat of force in international relations” and rejected attempts by “any country to impose its will on others,” according to a readout published by China’s foreign ministry.
Wang said China supports the Iranian government and people in maintaining national stability and safeguarding their legitimate rights, adding that he believed they would unite to overcome current difficulties.
He urged all parties to show restraint, cherish peace and resolve differences through dialogue, saying China stood ready to help facilitate those efforts.
Iranians search through body bags outside makeshift morgue
People search for loved ones among rows of black body bags lined up outside a makeshift morgue in Kahrizak, south of the Iranian capital Tehran, in this photo, posted earlier this week.
The image reflects the scale of the government’s brutal crackdown on protests against the regime, in which at least 2,400 people have so far been confirmed killed, according to US-based Human Rights Activists News Agency. CNN is unable to independently verify HRANA’s figures.
It is not clear when this image was taken, but video footage obtained previously by CNN showed more than 100 bodies laid out in bags at the center in Kahrizak, where people frantically searched for loved ones.
Read more here
Turkey opposes military action on Iran, foreign minister says
Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan said Thursday that Ankara is opposed to military action in Iran and its priority is to avoid destabilization.
“They are under sanctions due to some of the regional and international policies they have pursued. We tell Iran, you need to resolve your issues in the region,” he added.
The Turkish foreign minister also argued that some people are misunderstanding protests resulting from justified economic problems and grievances as an uprising against the regime. “This is creating a gray area,” he said.
Asked about the Trump administration’s recent announcement that countries that do business with Iran will face a new 25% tariff, which would likely apply to Turkey, Fidan said that it was just a statement rather than a “concrete presidential decree.” As a result, he said Turkey has not yet put consideration of the new tariffs on its agenda.
Large crowds join pro-Iranian regime rally in India’s northwest
A large rally was held in India’s Ladakh region yesterday in solidarity with Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei.
Video shared by Reuters showed huge crowds gathering in the Shia-majority district of Kargil, with participants waving Iranian and Indian flags.
Many held up placards of the supreme leader’s photo as they marched through the streets and chanted slogans condemning the United States and Israel, which Iran accuses of being involved in the unrest.
Organizers said the rally was meant “to express solidarity with the Islamic Republic of Iran and its Supreme Leader.”
Some background: Kargil is a city in India’s northwest that sits in a disputed Himalayan region between India and Pakistan. Once part of the former state of Jammu and Kashmir, Kargil has been part of the standalone territory of Ladakh since India split the two regions in 2019.
Iran is a popular destination for many university students from India, including Muslim-majority Kashmir, particularly those studying medicine.
The Indian embassy in Tehran issued a notice Wednesday advising its citizens to leave Iran.
Can Starlink help Iranians bypass the internet blackout?
Elon Musk’s Starlink is attempting to bypass the internet shutdown in Iran. But how feasible is it? CNN’s Bijan Hosseini breaks it down with experts.
Elon Musk's Starlink is attempting to bypass the internet shutdown in Iran. But how feasible is it? CNN's Bijan Hosseini breaks it down with experts.
Iran’s judiciary says protester Erfan Soltani was not sentenced to death, state media reports
Iran’s judiciary is disputing claims that detained protester Erfan Soltani was due to be executed, saying he has not been sentenced to death, according to state media IRIB.
Fears for Soltani have mounted in recent days after the US State Department, his family and human rights groups said Iranian authorities planned to execute the 26-year-old. Soltani was arrested at his home last week in connection with protests in Fardis, a city about 25 miles west of Tehran.
A statement from Iran’s Judiciary Media Center rejected what it called “fabricated news” that claimed Soltani was “arrested and quickly sentenced to death,” IRIB reported.
The judiciary said Soltani was arrested on January 10 and formally charged with “assembly and collusion against the country’s internal security” as well as “propaganda activities” against the regime, according to IRIB.
Soltani is being held at the Central Prison of Karaj, about 42 kilometers (26 miles) northwest of Tehran, the statement said.
US President Donald Trump indicated Wednesday that Iran had backed away from executing Soltani after his case drew global attention.
“There’s no plan for executions or an execution,” Trump told reporters.
A member of Soltani’s family called Somayeh told CNN that his execution had not taken place as planned, but added that it had not been canceled and the family was waiting for more information.
Tense and traumatized, Iranians speaking out despite the risks. Here’s what we're learning
Iranians are risking their lives to tell the world about what is unfolding in their country as the number of people killed during a bloody crackdown on mass anti-government protests keeps climbing.
More than 2,400 protesters have been killed, and at least 18,470 people have been arrested since Iran launched its crackdown on dissent, according to the US-based Human Rights Activists News Agency. CNN is unable to independently verify HRANA’s figures.
Here’s the latest:
- Overflowing morgues: Footage has emerged of Iranians screaming in anguish as they gather beside body bags in a makeshift morgue. Video from one such mortuary in Iran shows at least 100 dead in black body bags, one labelled with the date of birth of a 16-year-old.
- Exclusive testimony: A doctor inside Iran has offered a rare firsthand account of what he witnessed during the unrest. “I saw what we call a mass casualty situation. Every single one of the four operating rooms was full.” The doctor said he worked through the night and performed “maybe 10 or 11 surgeries.”
- Charged to bury loved ones: Iranian authorities are allegedly charging some families to retrieve the bodies of loved ones killed in the protests, two Iranians told CNN. One family told CNN they buried their loved one’s body in an unmarked grave by hand without any ceremony “out of fear that the government would take the body back.”
- Twin fears of war and unrest: Across the capital, people are trying to go about their daily routine as much as possible. But the shock and trauma of the violence of the protests is never far away. When international calls do connect, no one dares to have conversations that go beyond the regular pleasantries, aware that there may be others on the line.
- Tense and traumatized: The atmosphere in Tehran is “extremely heavy and tense,” a Tehran resident told CNN. “Everyone knows a massive massacre has taken place,” said the 47-year-old man, who asked to remain anonymous due to security fears. “People are traumatized and even find it difficult to speak about what happened.”
- Soaring death toll: “Mass unlawful killings” are being committed on an “unprecedented scale,” Amnesty International said, citing verified videos and eyewitness testimony. Iran’s foreign minister, Abbas Araghchi, said a misinformation campaign” was ongoing and that reports that thousands of protesters had been killed were “an exaggeration.” He also claimed there had been no unrest over the past four days.
- Thousands of tip-offs: The intelligence organization of Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps said it has received nearly 400,000 public reports of “security violations and suspected sabotage or terrorist activities.” The reports came through the Basij information system 114, a telephone number for tip-offs on protestors. Iran has also deployed new techniques to crush the protests.
A doctor has risked his life to speak out about the crackdown in Iran
CNN has obtained exclusive testimony from a doctor inside Iran, offering a rare firsthand account of what he has been witnessing during the unrest.
CNN has obtained exclusive testimony from a doctor inside Iran, offering a rare firsthand account of what he has been witnessing during the unrest.
Countries are urging their citizens to flee Iran as Trump weighs military action. Here’s what to know
There is persisting concern about a possible attack by the United States on Iran as President Donald Trump continues to weigh a range of potential actions in response to Iran’s deadly crackdown on anti-government protesters.
Some personnel at the largest US military base in the Middle East have been urged to leave, a US official told CNN yesterday, and more countries are urging their citizens to get out of Iran. Some airlines are rerouting flights to avoid Iranian airspace.
The warnings come despite Trump saying he’s been informed Iran has “no plan for executions” and that his administration will “watch and see” before taking military action off the table.
Here’s what to know:
- Protester killings: Trump said he’s been told by Iran that the killing of protesters has stopped and that “very important sources on the other side” had assured him that executions were not taking place. Trump previously said the US would take action if Iran began executing protesters. Amnesty International has said “mass unlawful killings” in Iran are being committed on an “unprecedented scale.” At least 2,400 demonstrators have been killed since the start of Iran’s crackdown, according to a US-based rights group
- Execution stopped: Trump’s comments came in response to fears for the fate of detained protester Erfan Soltani, who was sentenced to death after his detention last week, according to the US State Department. A family member and a Norway-based human rights organization said his scheduled execution did not take place yesterday.
- Military action: Trump has not ruled out military action, and CNN previously reported that his national security team has been split on whether to move forward with a kinetic strike. Separately, Republican Sen. Lindsey Graham, a key Trump ally, is pushing for the US to attack Iran “sooner rather than later.” He told reporters that he believes Trump “is serious when he says help is on the way,” and that “an attack on the regime is the only help that really matters.”
- Iranian commander threatens US: The head of Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps has vowed to respond to the US and Israel, which it accuses of being involved in the ongoing unrest in the country.
- Airspace closure: Iran closed its airspace for around five hours last night to all flights except international civil arrivals and departures with prior permission from the Iran Civil Aviation Authority. The exact reason is unclear, but it comes amid increasing concerns of a potential US strike on Iran.
- Warnings mount: Those fears are manifesting through embassies and airlines around the world. A growing number of nations have urged their citizens to leave Iran due to the heightened tensions, including India, Spain and the UK, while some airlines, including German and Indian carriers, are rerouting flights to avoid Iranian airspace.
Iran's comms blackout has lasted nearly a week
Iranians have not had internet access for more than 156 hours, according to cybersecurity watchdog NetBlocks.
NetBlocks said on X that an online information vacuum caused by the communication blackout, now in its seventh day, “is resulting in the amplification of pro-regime accounts, AI fakes, and other agendas.”
The blackout has also made it difficult to understand what is happening inside Iran in real time.
France is looking into sending Eutelsat terminals to Iran to enable satellite internet connectivity for citizens amid the blackout.
Eutelsat is a Paris-based satellite operator that has a fleet of low Earth orbit satellites that can deliver internet service from space. Its OneWeb subsidiary is a competitor of Elon Musk’s Starlink, which is providing free internet access to users in Iran.
