Trump says exiled Iranian prince ‘seems very nice,’ doubts whether he has backing to lead the country
President Donald Trump seemed to remain ambivalent about the possibility of exiled Iranian Crown Prince Reza Pahlavi taking over the country if the Islamic regime were to fall.
“He seems very nice, but I don’t know how he’d play within his own country,” Trump told Reuters during an interview on Wednesday. “And we really aren’t up to that point yet.
“I don’t know whether or not his country would accept his leadership, and certainly if they would, that would be fine with me,” he added.
EXILED IRANIAN CROWN PRINCE APPEALS TO TRUMP AS IRAN PROTESTS MARK ‘DEFINING’ MOMENT
Trump has yet to take a clear stance on Pahlavi since protests erupted in Iran late last month. On Jan. 8, during an interview with Hugh Hewitt, Trump said that he was unsure about meeting with Pahlavi amid the unrest in Iran, saying it might not be “appropriate.”
“I’ve watched him, and he seems like a nice person, but I’m not sure that it would be appropriate at this point to do that as president,” Trump said. “I think that we should let everybody go out there, and we see who emerges.”
Pahlavi has made repeated appeals to Trump amid the raging protests in Iran. On Jan. 9, after the Islamic regime instituted a sweeping internet blackout, Pahlavi posted “an urgent and immediate call” to the president on X, urging him to “be prepared to intervene to help the people of Iran.”
TRUMP SAYS THE US WILL TAKE ‘VERY STRONG ACTION’ AGAINST IRAN IF THE REGIME STARTS HANGING PROTESTERS
The exiled crown prince made a similar plea during an appearance on “Sunday Morning Futures.” He issued a message directly to Trump while speaking with Fox News’ Maria Bartiromo.
“You have already established your legacy as a man committed to peace and fighting evil forces,” Pahlavi said on “Sunday Morning Futures.” “There is a reason why people in Iran are renaming streets after your name. They know that you are totally opposite to Barack Obama or Joe Biden. They know you’re not going to throw them under the bus as they have had before.”
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While Trump has publicly expressed his hesitation toward Pahlavi, there was reportedly a meeting between the exiled crown prince and high-level U.S. officials. The meeting was first reported by Axios and allegedly included White House special envoy Steve Witkoff and Trump’s son-in-law, Jared Kushner. The outlet noted that Pahlavi is trying to position himself as a “transitional” leader in the event that the regime falls.
Pahlavi is the son of Iran’s last shah, Mohammad Reza Pahlavi, who ruled the country for decades before being overthrown during the 1979 Islamic Revolution, during which time his family was forced to flee the country. The crown prince lives in exile to this day, unable to return to Iran.
Driver of U-Haul truck that entered Iran protest crowd speaks out: ‘All I want is peace’
The driver of a U-Haul truck that drove through protesters demonstrating against the Iranian regime in Los Angeles on Sunday claims that police waved him onto the street full of protesters, and that he had never meant to hurt anyone.
Calor Madanescht, 48, was taken into custody by the Los Angeles Police Department on suspicion of reckless driving following the incident.
“I had no intention to hit anybody,” Madanescht told FOX11 Los Angeles.
Madanescht said an LAPD officer waved him onto the avenue, where he intended to join the protest. However, he claims a pro-Shah group began to attack him.
IRAN REGIME OPENED FIRE WITH LIVE AMMUNITION ON PROTESTERS, DOCTOR SAYS: ‘SHOOT-TO-KILL’
“I was really afraid for my life,” he said, adding that some protesters helped clear a path so he could drive away. “They were telling me, ‘Go, go,’ and they opened the path, as you see in the video.”
Video online appears to show the U-Haul truck moving quickly through a dense crowd as people screamed along Veteran Avenue near the Federal Building in the Westwood neighborhood. A banner on the side of the truck read, in all capital letters, “NO SHAH. NO REGIME. USA: DON’T REPEAT 1953. NO MULLAH.”
“All I want is peace and human rights for everyone in Iran and for minorities,” Madanescht said.
GRAHAM SUGGESTS TRUMP ‘HELP’ IRAN PROTESTERS WITH ‘MILITARY, CYBER AND PSYCHOLOGICAL ATTACKS’ AGAINST REGIME
Madanescht said that once he pulled over, other demonstrators began to attack him. He showed the outlet a bandaged hand, a cut on his ear, bruises and black eyes.
Another video shows the crowd of people running toward the truck and surrounding it as people can be heard chanting at the driver behind the wheel. One member of the crowd climbed onto the truck and stomped on its windshield. Others stuck flagpoles through an open passenger-side window, appearing to jab the suspect.
During Madanescht’s interview with the outlet, two men who were at the protest gave their accounts of what happened.
EXILED IRANIAN CROWN PRINCE APPEALS TO TRUMP AS IRAN PROTESTS MARK ‘DEFINING’ MOMENT
“They kept punching him, hitting him,” said one of the men, identified as Mehdi. “They broke the window, kicked the truck, assaulted him, and he has a right to free speech.”
The other man questioned Madanescht’s claim that LAPD had waved him onto a street that was occupied by demonstrators.
But Madanescht maintained that his intentions for being at the protest were only peaceful.
“The reality is I peacefully came, cooperated with LAPD, and I’m deeply grateful for them,” he said. “They deserve the highest praise for putting their lives on the line to save mine.”
The protest comes amid ongoing unrest in Iran, where demonstrations that began over economic grievances have spread nationwide, evolving into a direct challenge to Iran’s clerical leadership.
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The U.S.-based Human Rights Activists News Agency (HRANA), which tracks human rights violations in Iran, said at least 18,470 people have been arrested and confirmed the deaths of 2,615 individuals. HRANA said 2,435 of those killed were protesters, including 13 children under the age of 18.
Iran appears to reopen airspace after Trump says killing is ‘stopping’
Iran appeared to reopen its airspace on Thursday after a sudden overnight closure disrupted flights across the region, even as airlines largely continued to avoid the country amid heightened security warnings and ongoing regional tensions.
The overnight closure lasted around five hours after a Notice to Air Missions, or NOTAM, was issued, according to the aviation risk-monitoring site Safe Airspace.
Safe Airspace warns that the main danger for civil aircraft in Iranian airspace is misidentification by air defense systems during heightened tensions, rating the overall risk level currently as “One — Do Not Fly.”
TRUMP SAYS THE U.S. WILL TAKE ‘VERY STRONG ACTION’ AGAINST IRAN IF THE REGIME STARTS HANGING PROTESTERS
President Donald Trump told reporters in the Oval Office on Wednesday that he was informed the killing of protesters in Iran was “stopping.”
“We have been notified and really strongly, but we’ll find out what that all means. But, we’ve been told that the killing in Iran is stopping,” he said.
Sen. Lindsey Graham, R-S.C., disagreed with Trump, writing on X that every indication he’s seen shows that the Iranian regime’s killing of anti-government protesters is “still very much in full swing.”
“The death toll is mounting by the hour. Hoping that help is on the way,” he wrote.
TRUMP ENVOY REPORTEDLY MEETS WITH EXILED IRANIAN PRINCE AS REGIME FACES PROTESTS
The U.S.-based Human Rights Activists News Agency (HRANA), which tracks human rights violations in Iran, said on Wednesday that nationwide protests continued into the 18th day as authorities maintained a near-total internet shutdown.
The group’s aggregated figures showed 617 protest gatherings in 187 cities across the country, the arrest of at least 18,470 people and the confirmed deaths of 2,615 individuals.
HRANA said 2,435 of those killed were protesters, including 13 children under the age of 18.
TOP IRANIAN OFFICIAL DOWNPLAYS DEATH TOLL, BLAMES ‘ISRAELI PLOT’ AS US CONSIDERS STRIKES
Trump has threatened action against the regime, warning Tehran in multiple Truth Social posts to stop killing its people.
“We are locked and loaded and ready to go,” he wrote on New Year’s Day.
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The president said on Tuesday that he had canceled all meetings with Iranian officials and called on protesters to “TAKE OVER YOUR INSTITUTIONS!!!”
“Save the names of the killers and abusers. They will pay a big price,” Trump wrote, adding, “HELP IS ON ITS WAY.”
My father gave his life for Iran — today’s protesters are living his dream
I was in my mother’s womb when the Islamic Revolution of 1979 shattered my family’s homeland, forcing us into exile. Like so many Iranians, my country was stolen from me before I could even take my first breath. But my connection to Iran is not just a matter of heritage; it is written in blood. My father, Gen. Gholam Ali Oveissi, the former commander in chief of the Imperial Army, was a patriot who loved his people and died defending them against the tyranny of Ayatollah Khomeini. In 1984, he was assassinated in Paris for his loyalty to the Shah and his refusal to bow to the new regime.
For decades, families like mine have carried the weight of displacement and loss, watching from afar as a nation that was once on a trajectory toward becoming a global superpower was hijacked by mismanagement and ideological rule. But today, the tide is turning. After 47 years of oppression, corruption and fiscal incompetence, the people of Iran — driven by a courageous younger generation — have had enough.
This uprising is about more than just the collapse of an economy, though the financial devastation is undeniable. The Iranian rial has plummeted to historic lows, and inflation now exceeds 40%. Food prices have skyrocketed by more than 70% in a single year, leaving more than a third of the population below the poverty line. While the regime diverts billions of dollars to fund terror groups like Hamas and Hezbollah, the Iranian people suffer from negative GDP growth and crumbling infrastructure.
IRAN PROTESTS SPARK REGIME SURVIVAL QUESTION AS EXILED DISSIDENT SAYS IT FEELS LIKE A ‘REVOLUTION’
Unemployment has destroyed the hope of an entire generation, and the regime’s response has been to pillage natural resources, selling them at a discount to China and Russia while the people face water shortages and total systemic neglect.
However, the protests rocking Iran are not merely cries of hunger; they are cries for identity. The youth of Iran has reached an inflection point, realizing what the Pahlavi era truly represented: a time when Iran was a center of stability and prosperity in the region.
TRUMP TOLD IRAN HAS HALTED KILLINGS AMID MOUNTING PROTEST PRESSURE
They are not chanting religious slogans. Instead, they are chanting for Western values — freedom, prosperity and an end to oppression. They are rediscovering a pride in their Persian heritage, which dates back to 550 B.C. When asked where they are from, they proudly answer, “I am Persian,” rejecting the identity imposed on them by the Islamic Republic.
At the heart of this movement is a longing for the return of the Pahlavi vision. Reza Pahlavi has emerged organically as the voice of these disenfranchised people. He is not a leader positioned by foreign actors; he is the name the people are chanting for in the streets. They remember — or have learned of — an era when women were treated with respect and reciprocity, when Jews, Christians and Muslims lived in peace, and when the leadership invested in the future of its students.
Reza Pahlavi supports a nationally elected referendum for a constitutional monarchy, modeled after the United Kingdom, which would preserve our national identity while ensuring democratic governance.
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Crucially, the Iranian people look to the United States as a beacon of hope. Contrary to the regime’s propaganda, the majority of Iranians love, admire, and support America. They are particularly grateful to President Donald Trump, whose bold leadership has provided a roadmap for confronting tyranny.
His actions in Venezuela — specifically the pressure placed on the illegitimate Maduro regime — have given fuel to the protesters in Iran. President Trump’s willingness to hold rogue leaders accountable offers hope that the United States will not stand idly by while the Iranian regime slaughters its own citizens.
The role of the West is vital in this struggle. Media coverage from outlets like Fox News has been essential in breaking the silence, but more Western media must shine a light on this revolution. Technology has also become a lifeline; acts like Elon Musk’s provision of Starlink have been critical in bypassing censorship. The symbolic return of the original Sun and Lion flag on social media, promoted by figures like Musk, sends a powerful message that the spirit and glory of our rich culture is rising again.
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I am eternally grateful to the United States for providing my family with political asylum and allowing me to become a citizen of the greatest country in the world. But as an Iranian American, I know that a free Iran could be one of America’s most important allies and a stabilizing force in the Middle East. Iran was once a close partner of Israel — and could be again.
The coming days are critical. The regime will likely respond with the same violence that killed my father and hundreds of thousands of others. The United States must make it clear that mass killings will not be tolerated and must hold this government accountable for its human rights abuses. The people of Iran are ready to reclaim their future. The question is whether the free world will stand with them.
Lindsey Graham calls for US to use ‘any means necessary’ to stop the people behind the killing of Iranians
Republican Sen. Lindsey Graham of South Carolina declared in a Wednesday post on X that the U.S. should utilize “any means necessary” to stop the individuals “responsible for killing” Iranians.
“People often ask me what should we do next when it comes to the murderous, religious Nazi regime in Iran. It’s pretty simple. Stand by the protesters demanding an end to their oppression. But it’s going to take more than standing by them. We must stop those who are responsible for killing the people by any means necessary ASAP. Make The Iranian People Safe Again,” the hawkish lawmaker said in the post on X.
Protesters in the Islamic Republic of Iran have been met with a deadly crackdown.
“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,” President Donald Trump said on Wednesday afternoon, noting, “we’ve been told on good authority. And I hope it’s true.”
GRAHAM SUGGESTS TRUMP ‘HELP’ IRAN PROTESTERS WITH ‘MILITARY, CYBER AND PSYCHOLOGICAL ATTACKS’ AGAINST REGIME
But in a Wednesday night post on X, Graham said, “Every indication that I’ve seen says that the Iranian regime’s killing of protestors is still very much in full swing. The death toll is mounting by the hour. Hoping that help is on the way.”
President Trump has been declaring his support for Iranian dissidents and promising that help is coming.
TRUMP TOLD IRAN HAS HALTED KILLINGS AMID MOUNTING PROTEST PRESSURE
“Iranian Patriots, KEEP PROTESTING – TAKE OVER YOUR INSTITUTIONS!!! Save the names of the killers and abusers. They will pay a big price. I have cancelled all meetings with Iranian Officials until the senseless killing of protesters STOPS. HELP IS ON ITS WAY. MIGA!!!” the U.S. commander in chief declared in a Tuesday Truth Social post, using an acronym to abbreviate the phrase “Make Iran Great Again.”
Graham, an advocate for U.S. intervention against the Iranian regime, shared a screenshot of the president’s post and discussed the issue.
“The tipping point of this long journey will be President Trump’s resolve. No boots on the ground, but unleashing holy hell — as he promised — on the regime that has trampled every red line. A massive wave of military, cyber and psychological attacks is the meat and bones of ‘help is on the way,’” Graham declared in the post.
TOP IRANIAN OFFICIAL DOWNPLAYS DEATH TOLL, BLAMES ‘ISRAELI PLOT’ AS US CONSIDERS STRIKES
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“What am I looking for? Destroy the infrastructure that allows the massacre and slaughter of the Iranian people, and take down the leaders responsible for the killing,” he noted.
Armed Kurdish fighters try to breach Iran border as regional threat grows amid protests: reports
Armed Kurdish separatist groups tried to cross into Iran from Iraq in recent days, stoking fears that the country’s spiraling unrest has attracted dangerous foreign militants who could destabilize the wider region, according to reports.
Iranian officials said the attempted breach came amid a sweeping crackdown on nationwide protests against the country’s regime, with Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) leading the response, Reuters reported.
The Tasnim News Agency also reported armed militia groups operating in Iraq crossed the border in western and northwestern Iran, according to Middle East Monitor.
TOP IRANIAN OFFICIAL DOWNPLAYS DEATH TOLL, BLAMES ‘ISRAELI PLOT’ AS US CONSIDERS STRIKES
Reuters had reported that three sources, including a senior Iranian official, said Turkey’s intelligence agency, known as MIT, warned the IRGC that Kurdish fighters were trying to cross the Iran-Iraq border.
The Iranian official said clashes also broke out after the attempt to cross and accused the fighters of trying to exploit the unrest and create further instability.
According to the Council on Foreign Relations, around 30 million Kurds live in the Middle East, mainly in Iran, Iraq, Syria and Turkey.
TRUMP SAYS IRAN ‘STARTING TO’ CROSS US RED LINES AS PROTESTERS DIE IN GOVERNMENT CRACKDOWN
Turkey has designated Kurdish militant groups in northern Iraq as terrorist organizations and has carried out cross-border military operations against them. The Turkish military has also targeted PKK bases in Iraq.
In 2025, the Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK) said it would disarm and end its decades-long battle against Turkey.
Reuters said MIT and President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan’s office did not comment on the Iran crossing, though it warned that any interference in Iran would inflame regional crises.
‘LEAVE IRAN NOW’: US EMBASSY POSTS WARNING TO AMERICANS STILL IN THE COUNTRY
Iranian authorities alleged the fighters were dispatched from Iraq and Turkey and said the Iranian regime has asked both governments to stop any transfer of fighters or weapons into Iran.
The number of deaths during the crackdown on protesters rose to at least 2,571 on Wednesday, accordin g to the Human Rights Activists News Agency.
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President Donald Trump said Wednesday he had been told the killings had halted, and he believes there is no plan for large-scale executions.
Asked who told him, Trump said they were “very important sources on the other side.”
Iran closed its airspace to most flights Wednesday, according to flight-tracking website Flightradar24, with the closure lasting a little more than two hours.
Americans warned by US Embassy in Israel to prepare for ‘crises’ amid Iran tensions
The U.S. Embassy in Jerusalem issued a security alert Wednesday reminding personnel and Americans in Israel of the embassy’s standard advice.
The alert follows weeks of mass street protests in Iran against Ayatollah Ali Khamenei’s regime, heightening global tensions.
“Given ongoing regional tensions, the U.S. Embassy in Jerusalem continues to reiterate standard advice to its personnel and all U.S. citizens in Israel to exercise good personal security and preparedness practices,” the alert says.
‘LEAVE IRAN NOW’: US EMBASSY POSTS WARNING TO AMERICANS STILL IN THE COUNTRY
Officials encourage Americans to review travel plans “in case of disruptions” and to make “appropriate decisions for themselves and their families.
“Crises can happen unexpectedly while traveling or living abroad, and a good plan helps you think through potential scenarios and determine in advance the best course of action.”
Officials say the U.S. Mission posture, staffing and operations remain unchanged, with consular services continuing as normal.
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Iran issued a notice to airmen (NOTAM) alert late Wednesday, closing airspace to all flights except international flights with prior permission from the country.
Also on Wednesday, the U.S. Embassy in Qatar issued a public notice telling citizens they can receive alerts and relevant updates from the Embassy in Qatar via WhatsApp.
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The U.S. Virtual Embassy Iran told American citizens who are still in the country to leave immediately on Tuesday.
“Leave Iran now. Have a plan for departing Iran that does not rely on U.S. government help,” the U.S. Virtual Embassy Iran said on its website, suggesting land crossings into Armenia or Turkey if it is “safe to do so.”
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“If you cannot leave, find a secure location within your residence or another safe building. Have a supply of food, water, medications and other essential items,” it added.
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Iran shuts down airspace; foreign officials warn against travel to Israel
Iran issued a notice to airmen (NOTAM) alert late Wednesday, closing airspace to all flights except international flights with prior permission from the country.
The NOTAM will be in effect for just over two hours.
Flight tracking data showed multiple planes were either denied entry to Iran or rerouted around the country, according to the Flight Radar 24 website.
IRANIANS ABLE TO MAKE SOME INTERNATIONAL CALLS AS INTERNET REMAINS BLOCKED AMID PROTESTS
Minutes later, the U.S. embassies in Jerusalem, Qatar and Kuwait issued security alerts advising “increased caution,” limiting non-essential travel to Al Udeid Air Base, and temporarily halting movement into facilities at Camp Arifjan, Camp Buehring, Ali Al Salem Air Base and Camp Patrio.
The U.K. Foreign Office (FCDO) also issued an advisory recommending against “all but essential travel to Israel.”
“There is a heightened risk of regional tension,” officials wrote in the advisory. “Escalation could lead to travel disruption and other unanticipated impacts.”
A U.S. official told Reuters Wednesday the Department of War was moving personnel amid rising 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 the outlet.
Hours before the NOTAM alert was issued, President Donald Trump told reporters from the Oval Office the killing of protesters in Iran had ended.
TRUMP SAYS IRAN ‘STARTING TO’ CROSS US RED LINES AS PROTESTERS DIE IN GOVERNMENT CRACKDOWN
“We’ve been told that the killing in Iran is stopping, and it’s stopped and stopping, and there’s no plan for executions or an execution,” Trump said. “So, I’ve been told that on good authority. We’ll find out about.”
When asked about potential military action against the country, Trump said, “We’re going to watch and see what the process is.
“We were given a very good, very good statement by people that are aware of what’s going on.”
Iranian Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei’s regime has recently come under fire, with reports claiming more than 3,000 people have been killed amid nationwide protests over economic grievances and political repression.
Trump announced Tuesday he canceled all meetings with Iranian officials until the killings stopped.
In a statement Wednesday, the National Council of Resistance of Iran (NCRI) said Khamenei, through the Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC), “has turned his weapons against our people, while young Iranians, armed with little more than determination, have risen to defend and protect unarmed and innocent civilians.”
“In this ruthless confrontation, in which thousands of innocent Iranians have been killed over the past two weeks, neutrality is not an option,” NCRI president-elect Maryam Rajavi wrote in a statement on X. “At a minimum, the international community must recognize the legitimate struggle of Iran’s youth and Resistance Units against the #IRGC to bring an end to this regime.
“European governments must designate the IRGC as a terrorist organization, an action long overdue. The regime’s embassies and representative offices should be closed, and its envoys expelled.”
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The Iranian United Nations (UN) ambassador later sent a letter to the UN, accusing Iranian protesters of “deliberately inciting violence” and “equipping terrorist and armed groups to turn peaceful protests into political destabilization.”
Danny Danon, Israel’s Ambassador to the UN, shared the letter on X, calling it “beyond belief.”
“This is the same regime that shoots protesters, hangs opponents, and oppresses an entire people,” Danon wrote in the post. “These are nothing but crocodile tears from a murderous regime.”
Fox News Digital’s Emma Colton contributed to this report.
Iran allegedly airs 97 ‘coercive confessions’ amid record-breaking North Korea-style internet blackout
The Iranian regime has allegedly broadcast at least 97 “coercive confessions” from detained protesters on state television in just over two weeks, human rights groups say, as residents endure the longest internet blackout on record.
The videos reportedly feature handcuffed detainees with blurred faces showing remorse for their actions since the protests began Dec. 28, according to a rights group tracking the videos.
It said ominous music can be heard, and edited footage shows attacks on security forces, according to reporting by The Associated Press and data from the Human Rights Activists News Agency (HRANA).
Other rights groups also claim the confession videos are coerced and obtained under duress, with protesters “dragged before cameras under the threat of torture and execution.”
G7 THREATENS IRAN WITH NEW SANCTIONS OVER NATIONWIDE PROTEST CRACKDOWN KILLING THOUSANDS
“The regime’s broadcast of so-called confessions by detained protesters is a threadbare and worn tactic,” Ali Safavi, a senior official with the National Council of Resistance of Iran (NCRI), told Fox News Digital.
“Time and time again, the henchmen drag arrested demonstrators before cameras under the threat of torture and execution, coercing them to recant their beliefs or invent absurd stories.”
The broadcasts come amid nationwide protests sparked by public anger over political repression, economic collapse and alleged abuses by security forces.
Demonstrations have spread across major cities despite mass arrests, lethal force and sweeping restrictions on communication.
IRANIAN STUDENT SHOT IN HEAD AT CLOSE RANGE AMID PROTESTS, BODY BURIED ALONG ROADSIDE
Safavi said the confessions serve a dual purpose.
“First, they are meant to justify the mass slaughter of protesters, no fewer than 3,000, which NCRI President-elect Maryam Rajavi has stated constitute manifest crimes against humanity,” he said.
“These forced confessions are designed to demoralize the Iranian people and sow fear and doubt.”
But he said any mass executions or staged confessions “won’t achieve that because no amount of televised coercion or repression will break the protesters’ resolve.”
ARMED IRAN PROTESTERS BATTLE POLICE IN TEHRAN STREETS AS TRUMP WARNS OF FORCEFUL US RESPONSE
U.S.-based HRANA has warned that forced confessions in Iran frequently follow psychological or physical torture and can carry severe consequences, including death sentences.
“These rights violations compound on top of each other and lead to horrific outcomes,” Skylar Thompson, HRANA group’s deputy director, told The Associated Press, adding that the scale of broadcasts is unprecedented.
The confession campaign coincides with a sweeping internet shutdown that has effectively cut the public off from independent information.
According to NetBlocks, Iran’s internet blackout has surpassed 144 consecutive hours, making it one of the longest disruptions ever recorded.
“The shutdown is still ongoing, making it one of the longest blackouts on record,” Isik Mater, NetBlocks’ director of research, told Fox News Digital.
“State TV continues to operate normally via satellite transmission, which does not depend on the public internet, which means households can still watch Iranian state channels even during a near-total shutdown.”
IRAN PROTESTS GROW DEADLIER AS REGIME INTERNET BLACKOUT FAILS TO STOP UPRISING
Mater said the blackout magnifies the impact of state propaganda because “while the public is cut off, the state relies on broadcast media and its domestic National Information Network to control what people see,” she said, likening Iran’s information strategy to that of North Korea.
“A useful comparison is North Korea where the vast majority of citizens there have little to no access to the global internet, yet the state TV and radio broadcast regime propaganda 24/7,” she said.
“Information flows through closed systems, like North Korea’s domestic intranet Kwangmyong and not the open internet.”
Mater added that shutdowns are highly selective, with senior officials and state institutions retaining connectivity through “whitelisted networks.”
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“Senior officials and state institutions retain connectivity via whitelisted government networks and private links,” Mater said.
“This is why Ali Khamenei and other government officials continue posting on global social media platforms during the blackout, enabling the regime to shape the narrative internationally while citizens are unable to document events or even respond.”
Top Iranian official downplays death toll, blames ‘Israeli plot’ as US considers strikes
Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi rejected claims of mass casualties amid a recent surge in protests within the Islamic country and blamed any killings that have taken place on an “Israeli plot” intended to create a large number of casualties.
The claim came during a wide-ranging interview on Fox News’ “Special Report with Bret Baier” Wednesday evening, during which Araghchi was told estimates have indicated the death toll in his country could be anywhere between 2,500 to more than 12,000 protesters. But, according to the top Iranian official, the number is in the hundreds.
“When terrorist elements led from outside, entered this, you know, protests and started to shoot, you know, police forces, police officers and security forces. And there were terrorist cells. They came in, they used Daesh-style terrorist operations. They got police officers, burned them alive, they beheaded them, and they started shooting at police officers and also to the people. So as a result, for three days, we had, in fact, fighting against terrorists, and not with the protesters,” Araghchi said. “It was completely a different story.”
FETTERMAN ‘OPEN’ TO MORE US STRIKES ON IRAN AS REGIME ‘SLAUGHTERING THOUSANDS’
According to Araghchi, these rogue, terrorist-like actors he spoke of started shooting at civilians for “one reason,” which he said was to draw the United States into the conflict.
“They wanted to increase the number of deaths. Why? Because President Trump has said that if there are killings, he would intervene. And they wanted to drag him into this conflict,” the Iranian Foreign Minister continued. “And that was exactly an Israeli plot. They started to increase the number of deaths by killing ordinary people, by killing police officers, by starting a kind of, you know, fighting inside the different cities.”
Iran has seen widespread unrest since the last week of December, as the country faces a massive economic crash that spurred many in Iran to take to the streets in protest.
IRANIAN DISSIDENT UNLOADS ON AMERICAN LEFT’S SILENCE ON DEADLY PROTESTS
Contrary to Araghchi’s claims are eyewitness reports that describe government forces in Iran firing upon unarmed protesters. Some even spoke of snipers taking aim at innocent Iranians, according to testimony shared with the New York Times.
During Baier’s interview with Iran’s Foreign Minister, Araghchi also insisted that there are no imminent plans to hang, or otherwise execute, protesters. The top Iranian official tried to downplay the unrest erupting in his country as well, arguing there is now “a calm.”
“We are in full control,” Araghchi added. “And let’s, you know, hope that wisdom would prevail. And we don’t go for a high level of tension, which could be disastrous for everybody.”
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Iran poses a far more dangerous military test for the US than Venezuela, experts warn
Fresh off a successful operation in Venezuela, the U.S. is weighing its options as Iran’s leadership launches a violent crackdown on anti-government protesters — raising questions about whether similar military pressure could be applied to Tehran, Iran.
In Caracas, Venezuela, U.S. special operators moved quickly to capture Nicolás Maduro. In Tehran, Iran, any comparable effort would unfold against a state with greater military depth and the ability to strike back well beyond its borders.
“Thinking of this as an operation, as in the case of Venezuela or the nuclear program, is the wrong framing,” Behnam Ben Taleblu, a senior fellow at the Foundation for Defense of Democracies, told Fox News Digital. “This has to be seen as a campaign.”
Iran is a larger, more capable military power than Venezuela, with security forces designed to protect the regime from both foreign attack and internal unrest. Power is distributed across clerical institutions, security services and the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps — a structure built to survive the loss of individual leaders rather than collapse with them.
IRAN GOES DARK AS REGIME UNLEASHES FORCE, CYBER TOOLS TO CRUSH PROTESTS
“Musical chairs at the top is highly unlikely to work in Iran,” Taleblu said.
He pointed to the central role of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps, which he described as “the tip of the spear of the world’s foremost state sponsor of terrorism,” warning that removing a single figure would leave a hardened security apparatus intact — and potentially more dangerous.
That structure is backed by a military capability Venezuela never possessed: a resilient missile force that gives Iran credible options for retaliation if it believes the regime itself is under threat.
US RAID IN VENEZUELA SIGNALS DETERRENCE TO ADVERSARIES ON THREE FRONTS, EXPERTS SAY
“The retaliatory capability of the Islamic Republic is still fairly intact, which is their missile program,” Taleblu said.
During heavy Israeli strikes in the 12-day war between Israel and Iran, Iran’s missile force was degraded but not eliminated. While air defenses and launch infrastructure were damaged, Tehran, Iran, retains a significant inventory of short- and medium-range ballistic missiles and the ability to disperse and fire them from mobile launchers.
Analysts say the conflict reinforced Iran’s reliance on missiles as its primary deterrent, even as it accepted that air defenses could be penetrated. During the war, Israel degraded Iran’s air defenses while the U.S. moved in to strike its nuclear facilities.
Iran’s armed forces also are far larger than Venezuela’s, with nearly 1 million active and reserve personnel compared with roughly 120,000 troops in Venezuela — a disparity that underscores the very different military environments U.S. planners would face.
Iran’s antagonism toward the United States is rooted in the ideology of the 1979 Islamic Revolution, which cast opposition to Western influence — particularly the U.S. and Israel — as a core principle of the state. Venezuela’s clashes with Washington, by contrast, largely have been driven by political power, sanctions and control over oil revenues, rather than a revolutionary ideology aimed at opposing Western society itself.
In Venezuela, Trump administration officials framed the operation not as regime change, but as a limited action to advance U.S. interests — prosecuting Maduro on drug trafficking charges and securing leverage over the country’s oil sector. After Maduro’s capture, Trump allowed Vice President Delcy Rodríguez to assume power on an interim basis and expressed doubt that opposition leader María Machado had sufficient internal support to govern.
In Iran, by contrast, any military action would be interpreted as a direct challenge to the regime itself.
Unlike Venezuela, where the state apparatus remained intact after Maduro’s removal, targeting Iran’s leadership risks expanding the mission from a narrow strike into a broader campaign against the regime’s security forces.
“You could conduct an attack against the leadership, including the supreme leader, but that raises lots of questions about who comes next,” Seth Jones, a senior vice president at the Center for Strategic and International Studies and a former Pentagon official, told Fox News Digital.
“Is it Khamenei’s son? Is it Sadegh Larijani? Is it Hassan Khameini?” Jones said, referring to figures often discussed as potential successors. “Or do you start to look at other options?”
That uncertainty, Jones said, is what turns a leadership-targeting strike into a far broader and riskier proposition.
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“The more this starts to be not just the removal of a leader, but regime change, the more it becomes an expansive targeting problem,” Jones said.
Jones added that the core challenge for U.S. planners is not whether military force could be used, but what political objective it would serve.
“The big question then becomes what’s the objective — not just militarily, but what’s the political objective in Iran and how does that translate into what types of military resources you need?” he said.
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Such an expansion, Jones warned, would raise the risk of a prolonged and destabilizing conflict in a country of Iran’s size and complexity.
“The more you start looking at regime change and using military force for that, the more messy the situation in Iran could get,” Jones said. “It’s really hard to social engineer from the outside.”
Republicans, Democrats say no to US military strike against Iran as Trump mulls action: poll
Democrats and Republicans are united in opposing U.S. military strikes against Iran to retaliate for the killing of protesters amid a wave of massive demonstrations against the Iranian government in recent weeks, according to a new national poll.
Seventy percent of voters questioned in a new Quinnipiac University survey said they think the U.S. should not get involved militarily in Iran, with 18% saying the U.S. should take military action.
The vast majority of Independents (80%-11%) and Democrats (79%-7%), as well as a majority of Republicans (53%-35%) said the U.S. should not get involved if protesters in Iran are killed while demonstrating against the regime.
The poll, conducted Jan. 9–12, comes as President Donald Trump has turned up the heat on the regime in Tehran, threatening strikes on Iran if its forces continue to kill demonstrators.
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The U.S.-based Human Rights Activists News Agency announced Tuesday that nearly 2,000 people have been killed in the protests. Other reports say the death toll is over 3,000, with the real number likely to be even higher.
The protests against Iran’s dire economic conditions, which have rapidly escalated in recent days, are seen as some of the most violent since the 1979 Islamic Revolution that installed the current system of clerical rule.
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Trump took to social media earlier this week, urging “Iranian Patriots, KEEP PROTESTING — TAKE OVER YOUR INSTITUTIONS.”
The president also said that “HELP IS ON ITS WAY,” and apparently pointing to Iranian authorities, he warned, “They will pay a big price.”
Pointing to the possibility of Iranian authorities executing some of the protesters, Trump said in a CBS News interview this week, “If they do such a thing, we will take very strong action.”
And the White House confirmed on Monday that Trump was weighing whether to bomb Iran in reaction to the crackdown.
But seven in 10 questioned in the poll said that, in general, a president should first receive congressional approval before deciding to take military action against another country.
SOME US MILITARY PERSONNEL TOLD TO LEAVE MIDDLE EAST BASES, US OFFICIAL CONFIRMS
“Talk of the U.S. military potentially intervening in Iran’s internal chaos gets a vigorous thumbs down, while voters signal congressional approval should be a backstop against military involvement in any foreign crisis,” Quinnipiac University polling analyst Tim Malloy said.
But there’s a partisan divide, with 95% of Democrats and 78% of Independents saying a president should first receive approval from Congress, but Republicans, by a 54%-35% margin, saying congressional approval is not needed.
Trump last June ordered U.S. military strikes on three Iranian nuclear facilities as part of Operation Midnight Hammer, amid fighting between Tehran and Israel.
Voters are also divided on Trump’s move earlier this month to capture Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro and his wife and bring them to the U.S. to face drug trafficking charges. Forty-seven percent supported the president’s decision, with 45% opposed.
And there was an expected partisan divide, with 85% of Republicans supporting the military action to capture Maduro, with 79% of Democrats opposed. Independents were divided.
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More than half of voters (57%) opposed the U.S. running Venezuela until Washington is satisfied that the government there will operate the way the U.S. wants it to. Nearly three-quarters (73%) said they opposed sending U.S. ground troops to Venezuela and 55% opposed the U.S. taking over the South American country’s oil sales.
“Voters are divided on the merits of overthrowing Maduro. And while split on whether in the long run the people of Venezuela will be better off, they strongly disapprove of America’s temporary domain over Venezuela and are heartily against putting U.S. troops on the ground,” Malloy noted.
Trump has also turned up the volume in his efforts to acquire Greenland from Denmark.
“The United States needs Greenland for the purpose of national security,” the president argued in a social media post Wednesday.
Trump’s push for the U.S. to acquire Greenland is causing tension with Denmark and other NATO allies who insist that the semiautonomous Danish territory should determine its own future.
Trump officials are openly considering all options, including military force, to take Greenland, spurring bipartisan opposition from some in Congress.
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According to the poll, 86% of voters said they would oppose military action to take over Greenland. And by a 55%-37% margin, voters said they opposed trying to buy Greenland.
But there’s a stark political divide, with more than two-thirds of Republicans supporting efforts to buy or capture Greenland.
France condemns Iran protest crackdown, weighs satellite internet aid amid blackout
EXCLUSIVE: France’s ambassador to the United Nations said Paris has strongly condemned Iran’s violent crackdown on nationwide protests, as the French government weighs possible satellite communications support to help Iranians circumvent a near-total internet blackout.
In an exclusive interview with Fox News Digital, Jerome Bonnafont described what he said was an escalation in repression by Iranian authorities and outlined France’s response, including sanctions and diplomatic pressure.
“We have condemned very, very strongly, at the highest level, the repression against the popular movement in Iran,” Bonnafont said. “This time it seems to me that the repression is even more violent than it used to be.”
IRANIAN DISSIDENT UNLOADS ON AMERICAN LEFT’S SILENCE ON DEADLY PROTESTS
His remarks come as France’s foreign minister confirmed Paris is studying the possible transfer of satellite terminals operated by Eutelsat to Iran, following a sweeping internet shutdown imposed by Iranian authorities during the unrest, and as the G7 issued a joint statement condemning Iran’s violent crackdown on nationwide protests.
The foreign ministers of France, the United States and other G7 nations warned they were prepared to impose additional restrictive measures if Iran continues to violate international human rights obligations.
Earlier Tuesday, Israel’s foreign minister, Gideon Saar, urged France to support designating Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps as a terrorist organization at the EU level during a call with French Foreign Minister Jean-Noel Barrot.
Asked whether France would back such a move, Bonnafont did not address the IRGC designation directly, instead emphasizing existing sanctions and international pressure.
“There are sanctions against the police of the regime. And there are sanctions also against several individuals, more than 200 people in Iran for these reasons,” he said.
“What we have to do is to condemn and to address the right message to the people in Iran and to the regime, so that the regime stops with this massive repression.”
IRAN’S KHAMENEI ISSUES DIRECT WARNING TO UNITED STATES IN RUSSIAN-LANGUAGE POSTS
NATO and Europe’s defense responsibility
Bonnafont also addressed repeated calls from President Donald Trump for European allies to shoulder more of NATO’s defense burden, arguing that Europe is already moving in that direction.
“There is a will by the Europeans to take the full responsibility of the protection of its own continent,” he said.
He stressed that the approach reflects a long-standing French position. “It is a very old theme for the French governments that there has to be within NATO an autonomous, self-capable entity for European defense,” Bonnafont said, referring to France’s long-standing advocacy for European strategic autonomy, a position repeatedly emphasized by President Emmanuel Macron.
TRUMP ISSUES STERN WARNING TO NATO AHEAD OF VANCE’S HIGH-STAKES GREENLAND MEETING
Ukraine as a test case
Bonnafont pointed to Europe’s response to Russia’s war in Ukraine as evidence that European governments are prepared to act collectively when core security interests are threatened.
“Ukraine has been attacked by Russia four years ago. Now it has been invaded by Russia, and it has decided to resist and to fight for its independence, its territorial integrity, its sovereignty,” he said.
He described European backing for Kyiv as both unified and extensive. “And Europeans are going in support of Ukraine. And what we are doing in terms of financial support is massive. What we are doing in terms of political support is unanimous,” Bonnafont said.
According to the ambassador, France and the United Kingdom are working to organize what he described as a “coalition of volunteers” to provide Ukraine with long-term security guarantees once negotiations with Russia become possible.
“When Ukraine enters into discussion with Russia, and when Russia accepts to enter into discussion with Ukraine, and when the elements of a peace, sustainable peace, are put on paper, Ukraine can have security guarantees,” he said.
Bonnafont also pointed to France’s domestic budget decisions as evidence that Europe is backing rhetoric with resources. “There is presently the negotiation of the next budget for France for 2026,” he said. “It includes a strong increase in our defense budget, and it is the only budget that is going to be increased in our whole budget this year.”
TRUMP ADMIN EXIT FROM UN, INTERNATIONAL ORGANIZATIONS RAISES QUESTION OF WHO’S NEXT
UN reform and budget cuts
Beyond NATO and Europe’s defense posture, Bonnafont said France is pushing for institutional reform at the United Nations, where member states recently approved significant budget reductions. “The institution has to reform. It always has to reform,” he said.
“We decided by consensus with the American government and all the others a budget which presents a reduction of 20% of manpower and a reduction of 15% of the funds allocated to the U.N.,” Bonnafont added. “Give me another example of a public structure that is capable of such an effort in such a short time,” he said.
Despite the cuts, he defended the U.N.’s relevance. “Yes, we are serious about reform. Yes, we want it to be streamlined,” Bonnafont said. “But yes, we need the U.N. for the world.”
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UNRWA dispute and U.S. funding cuts
Asked about the U.S. decision to halt funding for several U.N. agencies, including UNRWA, Bonnafont defended the agencies, saying, “Organizations are more efficient when they are universal,” adding that participation remains a sovereign decision for the United States.
Trump told Iran has halted killings amid mounting protest pressure
President Donald Trump announced Wednesday afternoon from the Oval Office that he learned the killing in Iran has ended.
“We’ve been told that the killing in Iran is stopping, and it’s stopped and stopping, and there’s no plan for executions or an execution,” Trump said. “So, I’ve been told that on good authority. We’ll find out about it.”
Trump made the announcement during a bill-signing ceremony in the Oval Office focused on ending an Obama-era policy barring public schools participating in the National School Lunch Program from offering whole and 2% milk to students.
Trump said he was informed by “very important sources on the other side, and they’ve said the killing is stopped. And the executions won’t take place.” He did not divulge additional details.
FREED IRANIAN PRISONER SAYS ‘IN TRUMP, THE ISLAMIC REPUBLIC HAS MET ITS MATCH’
“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 said when asked if military action was off the table considering the update.
Iran’s citizens have taken to the streets in mass protests against Ayatollah Ali Khamenei’s regime in recent weeks, with reports claiming thousands of people have been killed as the regime cracks down on the protests. The protests come as the nation faces unrest over economic grievances and political repression.
The U.S.-based Human Rights Activists News Agency announced that 1,847 of the dead were protesters and 135 were members of Iran’s security forces. Other reports say the death toll is more than 3,000 people, Fox News Digital previously reported.
Iran’s judiciary had signaled a rapid crackdown, The Associated Press reported, with top judicial officials talking about fast-tracking trials for those arrested, a move that has raised alarms among rights groups about the risk of harsh sentences, including executions.
“But that’s just gotten to me, some information, that the killing has stopped,” Trump said. “That the executions have stopped and not going to have an execution, which a lot of people were talking about for the last couple of days. Today was going to be the day of execution.”
FETTERMAN ‘OPEN’ TO MORE US STRIKES ON IRAN AS REGIME ‘SLAUGHTERING THOUSANDS’
Trump and the administration have offered support to the protesters, including Trump calling on them to “take over” the country’s institutions on Tuesday while canceling all meetings with the regime.
“I have canceled all meetings with Iranian Officials until the senseless killing of protesters STOPS. HELP IS ON ITS WAY,” Trump posted to Truth Social Tuesday.
SOME US MILITARY PERSONNEL TOLD TO LEAVE MIDDLE EAST BASES, US OFFICIAL CONFIRMS
The White House confirmed Monday that Trump was considering bombing Iran if the killings and unrest didn’t end, and White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt said diplomacy remains Trump’s first option.
Fox News Digital reached out to a spokesperson for the Islamic Republic of Iran’s permanent mission to the United Nations for additional comment but did not immediately receive a reply.
The protests are viewed as the most severe since 2022, when thousands took to the streets nationwide after the killing of a woman by the country’s morality police.
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G7 threatens Iran with new sanctions over nationwide protest crackdown killing thousands
The Group of Seven (G7) nations warned Iran on Wednesday that they are prepared to impose additional sanctions on the country if the regime continues with its violent crackdown on protests.
In a joint statement, the foreign ministers of Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, the U.K. and the U.S., joined by the European Union’s high representative, expressed “grave concern” over the reports of mass casualties, widespread injuries and alleged human rights abuses as a result of the spiraling unrest.
IRANIAN DISSIDENT UNLOADS ON AMERICAN LEFT’S SILENCE ON DEADLY PROTESTS
The development comes as Human Rights Activist News Agency (HRANA) announced the deaths of 2,403 protesters. Other reports say the death toll is over 3,000, with the real number likely to be higher.
“We, the G7 Foreign Ministers of Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, the United Kingdom and the United States of America and the High Representative of the European Union, are gravely concerned by the developments surrounding the ongoing protests in Iran,” the statement said.
“We strongly oppose the intensification of the Iranian authorities’ brutal repression of the Iranian people, who have been bravely voicing legitimate aspirations for a better life, dignity and freedom, since the end of December 2025,” it read.
The G7 also stated it was “deeply alarmed at reports of deaths and injuries” and condemned what it described as the “deliberate use of violence and the killing of protesters, arbitrary detention, and intimidation tactics by security forces against demonstrators.”
IRAN PUSHES FOR FAST TRIALS AND EXECUTIONS OF SUSPECTS DETAINED IN PROTESTS DESPITE TRUMP’S WARNING: REPORT
The protests, which began Dec. 28, came amid deepening economic distress and the collapse of the Iranian rial. They quickly spread nationwide and evolved into broader anti-government demonstrations.
The G7 ministers also urged Iranian authorities to show restraint and end the use of force against civilians, calling on Tehran to respect its international obligations and protect the rights to “freedom of expression, to seek, receive and impart information, and the freedom of association and peaceful assembly, without fear of reprisal.”
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While the joint statement did not list specific new sanctions, it made clear that additional action remains on the table, signaling unity among leading Western powers.
“Iran’s continued crackdown in violation of international human rights obligations could prompt further restrictive measures from the G7,” the ministers said.