United States President Donald Trump said Tuesday that Washington would respond forcefully if Iranian authorities begin hanging protesters as part of an escalating crackdown on a popular uprising. Speaking to CBS News during a visit to a manufacturing plant in Michigan, Trump warned that executions would trigger consequences for Tehran. “We will take very strong action if they do such a thing,” he said when asked about reports suggesting hangings could start Wednesday. He added that mass killings would not go unanswered, stressing that the situation could “work out very badly for them.”
During the same visit, Trump delivered a speech focused on the US economy. However, he also used the platform to repeat a message previously shared on social media, telling Iranian protesters that “help is on its way.” He acknowledged uncertainty around casualty figures, noting that reports vary widely. Nevertheless, he emphasized that even a single death is unacceptable and that the true toll may be significantly higher than officially reported.
Rising death toll fuels international concern
Later, as he returned to Washington, Trump told reporters that he expected an imminent briefing on Iran. He said the scale of the killings appeared serious and promised that the United States would act based on confirmed information. Previously, he had indicated that American involvement would follow if protesters were killed, a threshold observers say has already been crossed.
Norway-based NGO Iran Human Rights confirmed at least 734 deaths, while warning that the real figure could reach into the thousands. Meanwhile, fears of executions have intensified after Tehran prosecutors signaled they would seek capital charges of moharebeh, or “waging war against God,” against some detainees.
Amnesty International warned that authorities may resort to swift trials and arbitrary executions to suppress dissent. Iran Human Rights also highlighted the case of 26-year-old Erfan Soltani, who reportedly received a death sentence and could face execution as early as Wednesday, further heightening global alarm.
