President Donald Trump on Tuesday warned that the United States would take “very strong action” against the Iranian regime if anti-government protesters are executed.
The warning followed reports from relatives of 26-year-old Erfan Soltani, who was detained last week and is said to be facing execution on Wednesday.
Speaking during an interview with CBS Evening News in Detroit, Trump said he had not been briefed on the reported hanging but made clear that such an action would trigger a firm response from Washington.
When asked to clarify his remarks, Trump stated that any execution of protesters would be met with “very strong action” by the United States.
Human rights groups have reported that more than 2,000 people have been killed in Iran amid a violent crackdown on protests, while other estimates place the death toll between 12,000 and 20,000.
Trump said the goal of any strong response against Tehran would be “to win,” suggesting that military action could be involved. He referenced past U.S. operations against figures such as Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi and Qassem Soleimani, as well as strikes targeting Iran’s nuclear capabilities.
He added that while protests themselves are not the issue, the killing of large numbers of people — including reported executions — would not be tolerated, warning that such actions would not “work out” well for the Iranian regime.
