Breaking Update: Here’s a clear explanation of the latest developments related to Breaking News:Iran protests LIVE: Tehran extends airspace closure; over 2,500 people killed amid unrest– What Just Happened and why it matters right now.
Iran protests LIVE: Anti-government protests have been rocking Iran since late December in anger over the country’s ailing economy and soon also targeted theocracy.
Iran protests LIVE: At least 3,428 protestors have been killed amid the crackdown on protests in Iran, and more than 10,000 have been arrested, AFP cited Norway-based Iran Human Rights (IHR) NGO as saying. Around 3,379 of the deaths took place during the height of the protests from January 8 to 12, AFP cited IHR as saying.
The US-based Human Rights Activists News Agency had reported early Wednesday that the number of dead was at least 2,571. Iranian state television has acknowledged that the country had a “lot of martyrs” without providing a specific figure.
Iran’s foreign minister Seyed Abbas Araghchi on Wednesday called external affairs minister S Jaishankar. In a post on social media platform X, Jaishankar said, “Received a call from Iranian Foreign Minister Seyed Abbas Araghchi. We discussed the evolving situation in and around Iran.”
The Indian embassy in Iran in an advisory on Wednesday urged Indian nationals who are in Iran to leave the country by available means of transport, including commercial flights.
The embassy asked Indian citizens and PIOs in Iran to exercise due caution and stay away from areas of protests or demonstrations, and has urged them to stay in contact with the Indian embassy and monitor local media for developments.
Meanwhile, an anti-government protestor in Iran was allegedly due to be executed on Wednesday, the first reported hanging since demonstrations began.
26-year-old Erfan Soltani, who was arrested on January 8 during the demonstrations in west Tehran’s Fardias, has been sentenced to death, Iran International reported citing sources close to his family. The information was passed on to the Oslo-based rights group, Iran Human Rights. The exact charges against Soltani were not immediately clear.
Iran has faced international pressure over the crackdown on protests in the country. The Iranian government and US President Donald Trump are trading barbs over the violent protests in Tehran.
Trump called on Iranians to “keep protesting”, telling them that “help is on its way”. His remarks drew sharp criticism from Iran’s regime, which accused the US President of encouraging political destabilisation, inciting violence, and threatening the country’s sovereignty.
ALSO READ | What we know so far about Iran protests and Trump’s remarks
Protests in Iran began in late December amid the anger over the country’s ailing economy, and soon targeted the theocracy as well, especially Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei. Several graffiti and chants across Tehran reportedly called for Khamenei’s death, something that could carry a death sentence.
Iran protests | Key points
1. Trump on Iran: The US President urged Iranians to keep protesting and asked them to take over their institutions. He told them that “help is on its way”. Trump also called on Iran’s government to “show humanity” towards the protestors and condemned the deaths in the ongoing demonstrations. He further warned that the US would respond forcefully if Iranian authorities hanged protestors amid the ongoing unrest in Iran. “We’ll take very strong action if they do such a thing,” he told CBS News.
US President Donald Trump on Wednesday reportedly said that he has been told “on good authority” that plans for executions in Iran have stopped, even as Tehran signalled fast trials and executions ahead in its crackdown on protesters, Reuters reported.
2. Iran accuses Trump: Tehran said that Washington was seeking to manufacture a pretext for a military intervention. Iran also accused the US President of encouraging political destabilisation, inciting violence, and threatening the country’s sovereignty, territorial integrity and national security.
3. Trump, Netanyahu ‘main killers’: Ali Larijani, secretary of Iran’s Supreme National Security Council, responded to Trump’s threats and said that the US and Israel will be the ones responsible for the death of Iranian civilians. “We declare the names of the main killers of the people of Iran: 1- Trump 2- Netanyahu,” he said in a post on X.
4. Iran eases restrictions: The Iranian government has eased some curbs for the people, allowing them to make phone calls to outside countries for the first time. However, people told the Associated Press that the SMS text message service was still down, adding that internet users were unable to access content from other countries. It remained unclear whether the regime would ease further restrictions.
5. Starlink service in Iran: Elon Musk-owned SpaceX’s satellite internet provider Starlink is now offering free service in Iran, AP reported, citing activists on Wednesday. A Los Angeles-based activist, Mehdi Yahyanejad, who has helped get the units into Iran, said that the free service had started. Starlink has reportedly been the only way for Iranians to communicate with people outside the country since authorities shut down the internet on Thursday night amid soaring nationwide protests.
6. Countries issue advisories: Countries including Italy, the UK, Spain and Poland reportedly issued travel advisories for their citizens. Britain also temporarily closed its embassy in Tehran and evacuated its officials. Countries recommended that their citizens leave Iran due to security concerns.
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The US-based Human Rights Activists News Agency had reported early Wednesday that the number of dead was at least 2,571. Iranian state television has acknowledged that the country had a “lot of martyrs” without providing a specific figure.
Iran’s foreign minister Seyed Abbas Araghchi on Wednesday called external affairs minister S Jaishankar. In a post on social media platform X, Jaishankar said, “Received a call from Iranian Foreign Minister Seyed Abbas Araghchi. We discussed the evolving situation in and around Iran.”
The Indian embassy in Iran in an advisory on Wednesday urged Indian nationals who are in Iran to leave the country by available means of transport, including commercial flights.
The embassy asked Indian citizens and PIOs in Iran to exercise due caution and stay away from areas of protests or demonstrations, and has urged them to stay in contact with the Indian embassy and monitor local media for developments.
Meanwhile, an anti-government protestor in Iran was allegedly due to be executed on Wednesday, the first reported hanging since demonstrations began.
26-year-old Erfan Soltani, who was arrested on January 8 during the demonstrations in west Tehran’s Fardias, has been sentenced to death, Iran International reported citing sources close to his family. The information was passed on to the Oslo-based rights group, Iran Human Rights. The exact charges against Soltani were not immediately clear.
Iran has faced international pressure over the crackdown on protests in the country. The Iranian government and US President Donald Trump are trading barbs over the violent protests in Tehran.
Trump called on Iranians to “keep protesting”, telling them that “help is on its way”. His remarks drew sharp criticism from Iran’s regime, which accused the US President of encouraging political destabilisation, inciting violence, and threatening the country’s sovereignty.
ALSO READ | What we know so far about Iran protests and Trump’s remarks
Protests in Iran began in late December amid the anger over the country’s ailing economy, and soon targeted the theocracy as well, especially Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei. Several graffiti and chants across Tehran reportedly called for Khamenei’s death, something that could carry a death sentence.
Iran protests | Key points
1. Trump on Iran: The US President urged Iranians to keep protesting and asked them to take over their institutions. He told them that “help is on its way”. Trump also called on Iran’s government to “show humanity” towards the protestors and condemned the deaths in the ongoing demonstrations. He further warned that the US would respond forcefully if Iranian authorities hanged protestors amid the ongoing unrest in Iran. “We’ll take very strong action if they do such a thing,” he told CBS News.
US President Donald Trump on Wednesday reportedly said that he has been told “on good authority” that plans for executions in Iran have stopped, even as Tehran signalled fast trials and executions ahead in its crackdown on protesters, Reuters reported.
2. Iran accuses Trump: Tehran said that Washington was seeking to manufacture a pretext for a military intervention. Iran also accused the US President of encouraging political destabilisation, inciting violence, and threatening the country’s sovereignty, territorial integrity and national security.
3. Trump, Netanyahu ‘main killers’: Ali Larijani, secretary of Iran’s Supreme National Security Council, responded to Trump’s threats and said that the US and Israel will be the ones responsible for the death of Iranian civilians. “We declare the names of the main killers of the people of Iran: 1- Trump 2- Netanyahu,” he said in a post on X.
4. Iran eases restrictions: The Iranian government has eased some curbs for the people, allowing them to make phone calls to outside countries for the first time. However, people told the Associated Press that the SMS text message service was still down, adding that internet users were unable to access content from other countries. It remained unclear whether the regime would ease further restrictions.
5. Starlink service in Iran: Elon Musk-owned SpaceX’s satellite internet provider Starlink is now offering free service in Iran, AP reported, citing activists on Wednesday. A Los Angeles-based activist, Mehdi Yahyanejad, who has helped get the units into Iran, said that the free service had started. Starlink has reportedly been the only way for Iranians to communicate with people outside the country since authorities shut down the internet on Thursday night amid soaring nationwide protests.
6. Countries issue advisories: Countries including Italy, the UK, Spain and Poland reportedly issued travel advisories for their citizens. Britain also temporarily closed its embassy in Tehran and evacuated its officials. Countries recommended that their citizens leave Iran due to security concerns.
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Jan 15, 2026 8:29:25 AM IST
Iran protests: Live blog closed
Jan 15, 2026 7:28:56 AM IST
Iran protests LIVE: Iran extends airspace closure
Iran protests LIVE: Iran has extended an order for the closure of its airspace to commercial aircraft without explanation as tensions stay high with the US, reports AP.
Jan 15, 2026 7:16:15 AM IST
Iran protests LIVE: ‘Situation very serious’ – What Shashi Tharoor said amid unrest
Iran protests LIVE: Amid rising tensions and protests in Iran, Chairman of the Standing Committee on Foreign Affairs and Congress MP Shashi Tharoor has described the situation as “very serious”, asserting that developments in the country could intensify in the coming days.
Speaking to ANI on Wednesday, Tharoor said that there is very limited information from Iran as internet services have reportedly been cut.
“It looks very serious. But we are not getting much information out of Iran; the internet has been cut. All we know is what we are getting in the media and their sources are also somewhat erratic. My understanding is that things are grim in Iran. 3000 protesters have apparently been killed,” Tharoor said.
Jan 15, 2026 6:30:08 AM IST
Iran protests LIVE: Iran signals plan to retaliate against US intervention
Iran protests LIVE: Iranian officials signaled on Wednesday that fast trials and executions lay ahead for suspects detained in nationwide protests, while the Islamic Republic promised retaliation if the US or Israel intervenes in the domestic unrest.
The threats emerged as some personnel at a key US military base in Qatar were advised to evacuate, even as President Donald Trump made a series of vague statements in a span of 24 hours that left unclear what American action, if any, would take place against Iran.
Jan 15, 2026 6:07:39 AM IST
Iran protests LIVE: IndiGo issues travel advisory amid Iran airspace closure
IndiGo Airlines released a travel advisory warning of the impact on international flights, citing Iran’s airspace closure.
“Due to the sudden airspace closure by Iran, some of our international flights are impacted. Our teams are working diligently to assess the situation and support affected customers by offering the best possible alternatives,” the advisory said
Jan 15, 2026 5:41:35 AM IST
Iran protests LIVE: Air India says using alternative routing over Iran after closure of airspace
Air India took to X and said “due to the emerging situation in Iran, the subsequent closure of its airspace, and in view of the safety of our passengers, Air India flights overflying the region are now using an alternative routing, which may lead to delays.”
“Some Air India flights where currently rerouting is not possible are being cancelled,” it added.
Jan 15, 2026 5:24:46 AM IST
Iran protests LIVE: Iran minister says ‘there is no plan for hanging’ when asked about protests
Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araqchi said on Wednesday “there is no plan” by Iran to hang people, when reportedly asked about the anti-government protests in the Middle Eastern nation.
“There is no plan for hanging,” the foreign minister told Fox News in an interview on the “Special Report with Bret Baier” show. “Hanging is out of the question,” he said.
Jan 15, 2026 4:56:24 AM IST
Iran protests LIVE: Rights group say execution of Iranian protester postponed
The execution of a 26-year-old Iranian man arrested during a wave of protests, which rights groups and Washington had warned could take place on Wednesday, has been postponed, AFP reported citing a rights organisation.
Norway-based Hengaw rights group reportedly said the execution of Erfan Soltani was deferred after being scheduled for Wednesday, citing information from his relatives. However, the group cautioned that there remain “serious and ongoing concerns” about his right to life, warning that the risk to him has not been eliminated.
Jan 15, 2026 4:29:55 AM IST
Iran protests LIVE: Iran shuts airspace for most flights, Flightradar24 says
Iran is closing its airspace to all flights except international flights to and from Iran with permission, flight tracking website Flightradar24 said in an X post on Wednesday.
The advisory is valid for a little more than two hours, Flightradar24 said.
Jan 15, 2026 4:02:51 AM IST
Iran protests LIVE: Lufthansa says will bypass Iranian and Iraqi airspace ‘until further notice’
Germany’s Lufthansa on Wednesday said its flights would avoid Iranian and Iraqi airspace “until further notice” after US threats against Iran, AFP reported.
The group, which includes Austrian, Brussels Airlines, Discover, Eurowings, Swiss and ITA Airways, said in a statement that it was bypassing the airspace “due to the current situation in the Middle East”.
Jan 15, 2026 3:35:46 AM IST
Iran protests LIVE: Germany cautions flights from entering Iranian airspace
Germany issued a new directive cautioning the country’s airlines from entering Iranian airspace, Flightradar24 said on Wednesday, shortly after Lufthansa rejigged its flight operations across the Middle East amid escalating tensions in the region.
Jan 15, 2026 3:15:44 AM IST
Iran protests LIVE: Italy urges its citizens to leave Iran because of security concerns
Italy has strongly renewed an appeal to its citizens to leave Iran because of the security situation in the country. There are around 600 Italians in Iran, most of them in the Tehran area, Reuters reported, citing Italy’s foreign ministry.
“There are more than 900 members of the Italian Armed Forces in the region, including about 500 personnel in Iraq and 400 in Kuwait, where precautionary measures are being adopted to protect military personnel,” the Italian Foreign Ministry was quoted as saying.
Jan 15, 2026 2:54:02 AM IST
Iran protests LIVE: Oil prices fall after Trump claims Iran killings have stopped
Oil prices fell, erasing earlier gains, after President Donald Trump said he had been assured that Iran would stop killing protesters.
West Texas Intermediate dropped 1.7% to $60.11 a barrel as of 3:24 pm in New York, after the close of regular trading. Prices had settled on Wednesday at $62.02, Bloomberg reported.
Jan 15, 2026 2:35:54 AM IST
Iran protests LIVE: UK says it has ‘temporarily closed’ embassy in Tehran
The British embassy in Iran’s capital Tehran, has been “temporarily closed”, the government in London said on Wednesday, AFP reported.
“We have temporarily closed the British Embassy in Tehran; this will now operate remotely,” a government spokesperson was quoted as saying. “Foreign Office travel advice has now been updated to reflect this consular change.”
Jan 15, 2026 2:15:27 AM IST
Iran protests LIVE: Spain tells citizens to leave Iran due to deadly protests
Spain’s foreign ministry on Wednesday urged its citizens to leave Iran. “Spaniards who are in Iran are recommended to leave the country, making use of the available means,” the ministry said in an updated travel advisory.
“The situation is unstable in the whole country. Different sources report several deaths and arrests of protesters,” it added.
Jan 15, 2026 1:52:45 AM IST
Iran protests LIVE: Trump claims he has been told killings in Iran are stopping
President Donald Trump said on Wednesday he had been told that killings in Iran’s crackdown on nationwide protests were subsiding and that he believed there was currently no plan for large-scale executions, even as tensions between Tehran and Washington remained high, Reuters reported.
Jan 15, 2026 1:24:49 AM IST
Iran protests LIVE: Poland advises citizens to leave Iran immediately amid tensions
Polish citizens should leave Iran immediately, the Polish foreign ministry said on Wednesday, stating that the internal situation in Iran is unstable.
“The Ministry of Foreign Affairs urges the immediate departure from Iran and advises against all travel to this country,” it said in a post on X.
Jan 15, 2026 1:06:46 AM IST
Iran protests LIVE: Qatar says personnel departing US base over ‘regional tensions’
Some personnel have been told to leave the Middle East’s largest US base in Qatar over “regional tensions”, Doha said Wednesday, while Saudi Arabia’s US mission urged caution as Washington and Iran traded threats of military action, AFP reported.
The United States has repeatedly warned it could intervene against a deadly Iranian government crackdown on protests, while Tehran has said it would retaliate with strikes on US military.
Jan 15, 2026 12:43:19 AM IST
Iran protests LIVE: ‘Bring our children back’: Parents of Kashmiri students in Iran appeal to Centre
The parents of Kashmiri students currently studying in Iran have appealed to the Centre to bring their children back due to ongoing tensions in the country. Several parents gathered at the Press Enclave to urge the government’s intervention.
“We appeal to the prime minister, the external affairs minister, the chief minister of Jammu and Kashmir, and the lieutenant governor to evacuate the students from Iran,” PTI quoted a parent as saying.
Jan 15, 2026 12:24:50 AM IST
Iran protests LIVE: G7 say ready to impose new measures on Iran if crackdown continues
The foreign ministers of the Group of Seven countries said on Wednesday they were prepared to impose additional restrictive measures on Iran if it continues to crack down on protests, Reuters reported
“We condemn the deliberate use of violence and the killing of protesters, arbitrary detention, and intimidation tactics by security forces against demonstrators,” the statement said.
Jan 15, 2026 12:03:54 AM IST
Iran protests LIVE: Iran signals plans for fast trials and executions for detained protesters
Iran’s judiciary head signalled Wednesday that there would be fast trials and executions ahead for suspects detained in nationwide protests despite warnings from President Donald Trump that the US may take military action over the killing of peaceful demonstrators, Associated Press reported.
Jan 14, 2026 11:41:50 PM IST
Iran protests LIVE: Why US advised key military base in Qatar to evacuate
Some personnel at a key US military base in Qatar were advised to evacuate by Wednesday evening. Speaking to the Associated Press, a US official described the move at the base as a precautionary measure and that other steps were being taken across the region.
The official, citing the need for operational security, would not go into further detail, including whether the evacuation was optional or mandatory.
Jan 14, 2026 10:54:17 PM IST
Iran protests LIVE: Ready to respond ‘decisively’ to US, Israel, says Iran’s Revolutionary Guards chief
Iran’s Revolutionary Guards chief on Wednesday said the country was ready to respond “decisively” to the United States and Israel, AFP news agency reported.
This comes hours after the Revolutionary Guards’ Aerospace Commander Majid Mousavi said they were at the “peak of our readiness”. Mousavi said Iran’s stockpiles of missiles has increased since the 12-day war with Israel last year, adding that wartime damages had been repaired, according to Reuters.
Jan 14, 2026 10:48:14 PM IST
Iran protests LIVE: UK withdraws some personnel from Qatar air base
Iran protests LIVE: After the United States, the United Kingdom has now withdrawn some of its personnel from an air base in Qatar, the i newspaper reported.
This came after Iran warned regional countries including Saudi Arabia, UAE and Turkey of strikes on US-run bases in these countries if attacked. Senior adviser to Iran Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, Ali Shamkhani, had also in a post on X on Wednesday brought up Iran’s strikes on the US-run Al Udeid air base in Qatar.
“The President of #America, who repeatedly mentions the futile story of aggression against #Iran’s nuclear facilities, would do better to also mention the destruction of the American #AlUdeid base by Iranian missiles. It will certainly help in creating a real understanding of Iran’s will and capability to respond to any aggression,” Shamkhani had said in a post on X.
Jan 14, 2026 10:16:05 PM IST
Iran protests LIVE: At least 3,428 protestors killed, over 10,000 arrested in Iran
Iran protests LIVE: At least 3,428 protestors have been killed amid the crackdown on protests in Iran, and more than 10,000 have been arrested, AFP cited Norway-based Iran Human Rights (IHR) NGO as saying.
IHR said the jump in its death toll was owing to new information it received from within the Iranian health and education ministries. Around 3,379 of the deaths took place during the height of the protests from January 8 to 12, AFP cited IHR as saying.