As the unrest grows in Iran, the regime has been employing increasingly brutal actions to quell the nationwide uprising.
The protests, which began on December 28, have grown in intensity over recent weeks as tens of thousands of Iranian citizens took to the streets to protest against the regime over economic woes and its oppressive policies.
The situation on the ground remains volatile, marked by the regime’s killings of thousands of protesters, an internet blackout, and escalating tensions with the United States.
President Donald Trump has issued several threats against the regime, indicating Washington might take military action of the regime continues killing its citizens. Iran has threatened to retaliate if this happens, Reuters reported.
The United States is withdrawing some personnel from bases in the Middle East, a U.S. official said on Wednesday, after a senior Iranian official said Tehran had warned neighbours it would hit American bases if Washington strikes.
With Iran's leadership trying to quell the worst domestic unrest the Islamic Republic has ever faced, Tehran is seeking to deter U.S. President Donald Trump's repeated threats to intervene on behalf of anti-government protesters.
The U.N. Security Council is due to meet on Iran on Thursday at the request of the United States.
A U.S. official, speaking on condition of anonymity, said the United States was pulling some personnel from key bases in the region as a precaution given heightened regional tensions.
"All the signals are that a U.S. attack is imminent, but that is also how this administration behaves to keep everyone on their toes. Unpredictability is part of the strategy," a Western military official told Reuters later on Wednesday.
At the White House, however, Trump suggested he was adopting a wait-and-see posture toward the crisis.
Trump told reporters that he has been told that killings in the Iranian government's crackdown on the protests were subsiding and that he believes there is currently no plan for large-scale executions.
Asked who told him that the killings had stopped, Trump described them as "very important sources on the other side."
The president did not rule out potential U.S. military action, saying "we are going to watch what the process is" before noting that his administration had received a "very good statement" from Iran.
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America can stand with the Iranian people in their fight for freedom without repeating the mistakes of endless foreign wars. We can champion liberty and support their movement while staying true to our own interests and values.@Varneyco pic.twitter.com/UJdsIpA8kh
— Senator Rand Paul (@SenRandPaul) January 14, 2026
European officials told Reuters that U.S. military intervention is imminent, even though the president suggested that the regime had pulled back from its violent actions against protesters.
The Iranian government claims there have been about 2,000 deaths during the unrest, including protesters and security forces. However, Norway-based Iran Human Rights (IHR) reported at least 3,428 confirmed protester deaths.
Other entities report higher casualty figures. Iran’s Supreme National Security Council estimated about 12,000 protester deaths.
If you claim to support human rights yet can’t bring yourself to show solidarity with those fighting for their liberty in Iran, you’ve revealed yourself. You don’t give a damn about people being oppressed and brutalised so long as it’s being done by the enemies of your enemies. pic.twitter.com/eK3jjh3pD6
— J.K. Rowling (@jk_rowling) January 11, 2026
The regime imposed a near-total internet blackout on January 8, restricting the flow of information out of the nation. Elon Musk’s Starlink is reportedly providing free service to Iranian users.
The protests began after the Iranian rial collapsed to $1.45 million per U.S. dollar. The nation’s inflation rate surged to 42.2 percent in December, with food prices rising by 72 percent. Health and medical goods increased by 50 percent.
However, the protests quickly transformed into a movement intent on ousting the current regime, which has imposed its version of extremist Islamic law on the populace.
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