What we covered here
• US President Donald Trump said Iran has “no plan for executions,” amid fears for the fate of a detained anti-government protester. But he declined to take military action off the table, saying his administration would wait and see.
• Some US personnel were urged to leave a US military base in Qatar as a “precaution,” sources told CNN. Several nations have urged their citizens to leave Iran, while some airlines are rerouting flights to avoid Iranian airspace.
• At least 2,400 demonstrators have been killed since the start of Iran’s brutal crackdown, according to a US-based rights group, and an internet blackout is still in place. The atmosphere in Tehran is “extremely heavy and tense,” a resident told CNN.
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Multiple countries are warning their citizens about the escalating danger in Iran
Several countries are warning people to avoid travel to Iran or to leave immediately due to the crackdown on anti-government protests in the country.
Here’s the latest on measures being taken:
United States: Some personnel at the largest American military base in the Middle East have been urged to leave the Qatar location as a “precaution,” a US official told CNN. Yesterday, President Donald Trump advised any US citizens in the country to leave Iran.
Qatar: The government said it “continues to implement all necessary measures to safeguard the security and safety of its citizens and residents,” shortly after the US urged some of its personnel to leave the Al-Udeid Air Base in the country.
Saudi Arabia: The US embassy in Saudi Arabia called for “increased caution” among US citizens and its personnel, encouraging them to limit “non-essential travel to any military installations in the region.”
Italy: The Italian Foreign Ministry urged its citizens to leave Iran and said it is taking measures to protect its troops in Middle East, including in Iraq and Kuwait.
Germany: German authorities advised airlines to avoid Iranian airspace amid the potential use of “anti-aviation weaponry.” Separately, German airline Lufthansa announced it would only operate day flights to and from Tel Aviv and Amman.
United Kingdom: The British government announced that its embassy in Tehran had been temporarily closed, with all staff withdrawn from Iran. The Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office has also advised against all travel to Iran.
Spain: Spain advised its citizens to leave Iran using “any available means” and has strongly discouraged travel to the country.
India: India’s embassy in Tehran has advised Indian citizens to leave Iran “by available means.” The Indian government has also “strongly advised” nationals to avoid traveling to the country. Air India, meanwhile, announced its flights in the region would be rerouted.
CNN’s Sharon Braithwaite, Mohammed Tawfeeq, Issy Ronald, Jeremy Diamond, Mostafa Salem, Dana Karni, Hira Humayun, Avery Schmitz, Pete Muntean, Ross Adkin, Helen Regan and Alexandra Skores contributed reporting.
Some domestic flights resuming in Iran after airspace closure
Some domestic flights in Iran appear to be resuming, several hours after the country closed its airspace to all flights except those with prior permission.
Several commercial flights were airborne Thursday morning local time, bound for airports in Tehran, according to open-source flight data.
The US Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) announced Wednesday that Iran’s airspace had temporarily closed to all flights except international civil arrivals and departures with prior permission from the Iran Civil Aviation Authority.
Trump says Iranian opposition figure is “very nice” but questions his ability to govern, Reuters reports
US President Donald Trump has questioned whether Iranian opposition figure Reza Pahlavi would have the support needed to govern, should Iran’s government fall.
Trump made the comments to Reuters news agency in an exclusive interview in the Oval Office.
Pahlavi is the exiled son of the last Shah of Iran, who was toppled in the 1979 revolution that ushered in clerical rule. Pahlavi, who is based in the US, has sought to position himself as a de facto alternative leader, and has been a prominent voice during the protests. He is a divisive figure and it is unclear how much support he has within the country.
Trump also appeared non-committal on whether the protests would ultimately lead to the toppling of the Iranian regime.
“Whether or not it falls… it’s going to be an interesting period of time,” he said.
Republican Sen. Lindsey Graham, a key Trump ally, met with Pahlavi on Wednesday and the two held matching black baseball caps emblazoned with the words “Make Iran Great Again.”
In the video, Pahlavi said he hoped the Iranian people will have “complete freedom” to choose Iran’s future. “We are here to serve them to make that choice in freedom,” he said.
Doctor offers rare first-hand account of witnessing the unrest 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.
Watch here:
CNN has obtained exclusive testimony from a doctor inside Iran, offering a rare firsthand account of what he has been witnessing during the unrest.
Air India says flights are rerouting due to situation in Iran
Air India has announced its flights in the region are rerouting due to the “emerging situation” in Iran and closure of Iranian airspace.
“Air India flights overflying the region are now using an alternative routing, which may lead to delays,” the airline said, adding that those that cannot be rerouted will be canceled.
“Safety of our passengers and crew remain top priority,” it said.
"An attack on the regime is the only help that really matters,” Sen. Graham says
Republican Sen. Lindsey Graham, a key ally of President Donald Trump, is pushing for the US to attack the Iranian regime “sooner rather than later.”
“I believe that President Trump is serious when he says help is on the way,” he told reporters, adding that “an attack on the regime is the only help that really matters.”
Trump has not ruled out taking military action in Iran and has expressed support for the protesters.
Graham said he hopes that the “long nightmare” for the Iranian people is “beginning to end,” calling it “a monumental moment in world history.”
Iran’s foreign minister claims 'misinformation campaign' is exaggerating protester deaths
Iran’s foreign minister has claimed a “misinformation campaign” surrounding the unrest in the country is being used to drag the United States into a conflict.
Speaking to Fox News’ Bret Baier on Wednesday, Abbas Araghchi pushed back on reports that thousands of protesters had been killed. He insisted the actual number was in the hundreds and said suggestions otherwise were a “misinformation campaign.”
Araghchi said that for 10 days, protests in the country were peaceful, after which “we had a completely different story: a terrorist operation.” He claimed that “terrorist elements lead from outside” had shot police, security forces and civilians.
For three days, he said, Iranian authorities had been “fighting against terrorists, and not the protesters.” Araghchi said these “elements” shot at people to drive up the death toll to drag US President Donald Trump into the conflict, citing Trump’s threats to intervene if Iran killed peaceful protesters. He went on to label this as an “Israeli plot” without offering any evidence.
“The number of deaths, although they tried hard to increase number of deaths, are only hundreds,” Araghchi said. “I certainly deny the numbers and figures they have said. It is an exaggeration, it is a misinformation campaign, only to find excuses, only to do another aggression against Iran.”
Araghchi was speaking after Fox aired a clip of Reza Pahlavi, the exiled son of Iran’s last shah, saying more than 12,000 people had been killed.
At least 2,400 protesters have been killed since Iran’s crackdown began last month, according to US-based Human Rights Activists News Agency (HRANA). CNN cannot independently verify how many protesters have been killed.
Araghchi also claimed there had been no unrest whatsoever over the past four days and added that hanging protesters was “out of the question” – saying suggestions to the contrary were also part of the “misinformation campaign.”
On Tuesday, Trump warned Iran against executing protesters and said the US would take “strong action” in response. On Wednesday Trump said Iran had called off execution of protesters.
Iranian-American mayor of Beverly Hills calls for a "free Iran"
Iranians in the United States are continuing to follow developments in Iran, waiting to hear from loved ones amid an ongoing blackout, and using their voices locally to demand change and safety for their compatriots.
Aside from the economic issues in Iran lies the human rights violations and for some immigrants who have been living abroad for decades, the pain and desire for change still runs deep.
Sharona Nazarian, an Iranian-Jewish woman, was a child when she fled Iran following the 1979 revolution.
“I escaped religious persecution in search of a better life,” she told CNN.
Now she’s the first Iranian-American woman to serve as mayor of Beverly Hills, and she aims to do what she can to help.
“A day does not go by that I do not get requests of people asking me to assist them with their family members, or helping them to come here, asking for monetary assistance,” she said. “They’re facing major economic hardship right now.”
Nazarian tries to connect them with organizations that may be able to assist them, but there’s only so much she can do from Los Angeles.
“My heart really cries out to their needs,” she said.
Last night, Beverly Hills passed a resolution that expressed solidarity with the Iranian people in their pursuit for freedom, human rights and economic justice, Nazarian said.
She urged the federal government to provide support, saying “a free Iran is a safer region and a safer world without terror.”
“For almost five decades the Iranian regime has basically tortured and traumatized its people,” she said.
“I look forward to being able to visit my country of origin, where I was born, and to be able to see the beauty that exists in that great country,” Nazarian said.
FAA: Tehran airspace closed to most flights for short period
The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) has announced that Iran’s airspace is closed to all flights except international civil arrivals and departures.
Several commercial flights were still airborne Wednesday night bound for airports in Tehran, according to open-source flight data.
The closure began at 10:15 UTC (5:15 p.m. EST) and will last for two hours and 15 minutes. Only flights with prior permission from the Iran Civil Aviation Authority are allowed to operate in the airspace during this period.
Tehran mayor says protests have caused $20 million worth of damage
Protests across the Iranian capital have caused $20 million worth of damage to infrastructure, according to the mayor of Tehran, Iran’s state-run Press TV reported Wednesday.
Mayor Alireza Zakani, who described the anti-government protesters as “rioters,” said they set fire to 89 buses, 57 of which sustained major damage, leaving some out of service, according to Press TV.
“Two municipality buildings and eight newly purchased firefighting vehicles were also destroyed during the unrest that erupted on January 8,” he added.
UK warns against "non-essential" travel to Israel amid regional tension
The UK Foreign Office has advised against all but essential travel to parts of Israel and the occupied West Bank due to “heightened regional tensions,” it said in a statement on Wednesday.
The advisory warns that escalating tensions could result in travel disruptions and other unforeseen impacts.
This comes after the foreign office warned against all travel to Iran and the British government announced the temporary closure of its Tehran embassy.
Execution of Iranian protester Erfan Soltani has been postponed, family and rights group say
The execution of Iranian protester Erfan Soltani did not take place on Wednesday, according to a family member and Hengaw, a Norway-based human rights organization.
Somayeh, a relative of Soltani who declined to be identified by her full name due to security concerns, told CNN on Wednesday that the execution was not carried out earlier in the day as planned. However, she said it was not canceled, either, and that she is waiting for more information.
Hengaw also reported late Wednesday that Soltani’s execution has been postponed.
Soltani, 26, was arrested at his home last Thursday, according to Hengaw. Four days after his arrest, his family was told that his execution had been scheduled, it said.
The news comes after US President Donald Trump indicated earlier on Wednesday that Iran has “no plan for executions.”
It’s almost 2 a.m. in Tehran. Here’s what you should know
President Donald Trump said Wednesday that Iran has “no plan for executions,” amid fears for the fate of a detained anti-government protester.
The development comes as Trump has weighed a range of potential actions against the regime in response to its deadly crackdown on anti-government protesters, including the potential for military strikes.
The US president also declined to take military action in Iran off the table, telling reporters that while he’s been informed the government has “no plan for executions,” his administration will wait and see.
Catch up on other headlines here:
- Killings: “Mass unlawful killings” are being committed on an “unprecedented scale” amid ongoing anti-government protests and an internet shutdown, Amnesty International said, citing verified videos and eyewitness testimony.
- A threat from Iran: The head of Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps vowed to respond “at an appropriate time” to the United States and Israel, which it accused of being involved in the ongoing unrest in the country.
- In Tehran, people are trying to go about their daily routine as much as possible — going to work, visiting family, keeping medical appointments or buying groceries. When international calls do connect, no one dares to have conversations that go beyond the regular pleasantries, aware there may be others on the line
- The foreign ministers of Group of Seven nations warned of “additional restrictive measures” if Iran does not cease the crackdown.
- Warnings from countries: Italy is urging its citizens to leave Iran and is taking measures to protect its troops in Middle East, including in Iraq and Kuwait, the Italian Foreign Ministry said. Spain also advised its citizens to leave Iran using “any available means” and strongly discouraged travel to the country. And Lufthansa announced it will only operate day flights to and from Tel Aviv and Amman as Trump weighs a response to Iran. Also, the British government announced that its embassy in Tehran has been temporarily closed, with all staff withdrawn due to the ongoing unrest.
CNN’s Hira Humayun, Dana Karni, Sharon Braithwaite, Mohammed Tawfeeq, Kara Fox, Jomana Karadsheh, Donald Judd contributed reporting.
G-7 countries threaten Iran with more "restrictive measures" amid crackdown
The foreign ministers of Group of Seven nations warned of “additional restrictive measures” if Iran does not cease its brutal crackdown on dissent.
In a joint statement Wednesday, the foreign ministers of Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, Britain and the United States condemned Iranian authorities’ “brutal repression” of the Iranian people and their use of violence, killing and arbitrary arrests to suppress protests.
The countries called on Iranian authorities to exercise restraint and refrain from violence.
“The members of the G7 remain prepared to impose additional restrictive measures if Iran continues to crack down on protests and dissent in violation of international human rights obligations,” the statement said.
Some background: As the death toll from Iran’s heavy-handed crackdown on dissent has surpassed 2,400, according to a US-based rights group, countries have threatened to punish Tehran. Britain has said it will work to bring more sanctions against Iran. Belgium said it was ready to discuss new European sanctions against Iran, and several other European nations have summoned the Iranian ambassadors in their countries.
German authorities advise airlines to avoid Iranian airspace
German authorities have advised airlines to avoid Iranian airspace amid the ongoing unrest across the country and the potential use of “anti-aviation weaponry.”
The directive, effective 14 January through 10 February, recommends that airlines do not enter the Tehran Flight Information Region, citing “escalating conflict.”
Spain advises its citizens to leave Iran
Spain has advised its citizens to leave Iran using “any available means” and has strongly discouraged travel to the country, in a travel advisory updated on Wednesday.
The Spanish foreign ministry strongly advised its citizens in Iran against taking part in any kind of protests, and of taking photos or videos of the demonstrations or of official buildings.
“Keep in mind that, at this time, any citizen taking photos or videos outside of tourist areas may be viewed with suspicion by the authorities,” the ministry said. “It is also strongly recommended that you do not take photos or videos of military or government installations, or publicly express political or religious views, even on social media.”
Spain’s advisory comes as Italy has also urged its citizens to leave Iran, and the United Kingdom temporarily pulled its embassy staff from the country.
UK temporarily closes embassy in Tehran amid unrest
The British government announced Wednesday that its embassy in Tehran has been temporarily closed, with all staff withdrawn from Iran due to the ongoing unrest.
“Due to the security situation, UK staff have been temporarily withdrawn from Iran. Our embassy continues to operate remotely,” the government said in a statement.
The Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO) has also advised against all travel to Iran. “If you are a British national already in Iran, whether resident or visiting, carefully consider your presence there and the risks you face by staying,” the statement warned.
The FCDO further cautioned that British and British-Iranian dual nationals “are at significant risk of arrest, questioning, or detention.” It added that “having a British passport or connections to the UK can be reason enough for the Iranian authorities to detain you.”
Trump says US will “watch and see” before taking military action off the table in Iran
President Donald Trump on Wednesday declined to take military action in Iran off the table, telling reporters that while he’s been informed Iran has “no plan for executions,” his administration will wait and see.
“No, we’re going to watch and see what the process is. But we were given a very good, very good statement by people that are aware of what’s going on,” Trump told reporters in the Oval Office when pressed on if he’d taken a military strike off the table.
“They say no executions. Everyone is talking about a lot of executions were taking place today. We were just told no executions, I hope that’s true, that’s a big thing,” Trump said.
Earlier in the Oval Office event, Trump said he’d be “very upset,” if the Iranian regime moved forward with executing protesters, but suggested he’d been told they’re not taking place.
“We have been informed by very important sources on the other side, and they’ve said the killing has stopped and the executions won’t take place,” Trump told CNN’s Kaitlan Collins.
“There was supposed to be a lot of executions today, and that the executions won’t take place. And we’re going to find out. I mean, I’ll find out after this, you’ll find out. But we’ve been told on good authority. And I hope it’s true,” he said.
Trump says Iran has "no plan for executions"
President Donald Trump said Wednesday that Iran has “no plan for executions,” amid fears for the fate of a detained anti-government protester.
“We were told that the killing in Iran is stopping, and there’s no plan for executions,” he said from the Oval Office. “The killing has stopped. The executions have stopped.”
Trump declined to specify who had provided those assurances, saying only that he’d “been informed by very important sources on the other side.”
In recent days, Iran had raised the prospect of executing Iranian protester Erfan Soltani, a 26-year-old who had been detained less than a week ago, according to a family member and the US State Department.
At least 2,400 protesters have been killed since Iran’s crackdown began last month, according to US-based Human Rights Activists News Agency (HRANA).
“There’s no plan for executions or an execution,” Trump said. “I’ve been told that on good authority. We’ll find out about it. I’m sure if it happens I’ll be very upset.”
The development comes as Trump has weighed a range of potential actions against Iran in response to its deadly crackdown on anti-government protesters, including the potential for military strikes.
Trump in recent days had expressed support for the protesters, vowing that “help is on its way” and warning Iran against executing any protesters.
