Iran Fast-Tracks Death Sentences as Protests Escalate

Iran vowed fast-track trials for individuals arrested in what authorities describe as a massive wave of protests, following U.S. threats of “very strong action” if Iran proceeds with hangings.

In Tehran, officials held a funeral ceremony for over 100 security forces personnel and other “martyrs” killed during the unrest, which authorities have branded as “riots” while accusing protesters of waging “acts of terror.”

The protest movement, initially sparked by economic grievances, has evolved into one of the biggest challenges to Iran’s clerical leadership since it took power in 1979.

Demonstrators have defied authorities’ claims of regaining control by gathering nationwide despite warnings of severe consequences.

Iran’s judiciary chief Gholamhossein Mohseni Ejei stated during a prison visit that individuals who “burned someone, beheaded someone and set them on fire” would face expedited trials. He emphasized public trials and reported spending five hours examining cases in Tehran.

State media footage showed the judiciary chief seated before an Iranian flag in a large, ornate room within a prison facility, interrogating a detainee accused of using Molotov cocktails in a park in Tehran.

U.S. President Donald Trump warned that the United States would take “very strong action” if Iran began executing protesters, stating such actions could lead to serious consequences for the Islamic republic.

Iranian officials dismissed U.S. warnings as a pretext for military intervention, insisting their response remains within legal boundaries.

Rights groups report hundreds of protester deaths, including at least nine minors, with the true toll likely in the thousands. State media claims dozens of security forces have been killed.

At Wednesday’s funeral ceremony in Tehran, thousands of people waved flags of the Islamic republic while prayers were read for the deceased outside Tehran University. Banners reading “Death to America” and images depicting Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei were visible.

An Iraqi computer scientist who returned from Iran described scenes of heavy military presence and rubber bullets fired at protesters in Tehran’s Sarsabz neighborhood during recent demonstrations.

The U.S. State Department confirmed that 26-year-old protester Erfan Soltani was sentenced to death, becoming the first executed under recent crackdowns. Over 10,600 Iranians have been arrested nationwide.

Iranian authorities also reported arresting a foreign national for espionage in connection with the protests, though details remain undisclosed.