January 15, 2026 | 06:35 pm
TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - Iran's Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi on Wednesday denied claims that authorities in the country were planning to execute demonstrators following more than two weeks of riots.
"There is no any hanging, today or tomorrow ... I can tell you, I'm confident about that. There is no plan for hanging at all," Araghchi told the U.S.-based broadcaster Fox News in an interview as reported by Anadolu.
U.S. President Donald Trump stated on Tuesday that Washington would take "very strong action" if Iran executes protesters.
Trump and other U.S. officials have escalated rhetoric against Iran amid protests that have swept the country since the end of last month due to the worsening economic conditions.
He also said that the protests in Iran had ended and the situation had returned to calm, with no "riots" since Monday.
The security situation has been completely controlled by the authorities of the country.
Iranian officials accuse the US and Israel of supporting "riots" and "terrorism" amid the protests.
Rejecting reports of over 12,000 deaths during the protests as "baseless" and part of a "misinformation campaign," Araghchi emphasized that the death toll is in the "hundreds."
Asked about the number of demonstrators killed, Araghchi said the exact figures would be "announced very soon, perhaps tonight" by the Iranian government.
Authorities have not released official figures on casualties or detainees so far. The Human Rights Activists News Agency (HRANA), a U.S.-based group, estimated that at least 2,500 people have been killed, including demonstrators and security personnel, with more than 1,100 people injured.
The group also said that over 18,000 people have been detained, although these numbers have not been independently verified and differ from other estimates.
Protests over Cost of Living
Protests broke out in Iran at the end of December 2025, triggered by concerns over an inflation surge following the weakening of the national currency, the Iranian rial, which has squeezed the purchasing power of the public and exacerbated household economic conditions.
Since January 8, the wave of protests has escalated after Reza Pahlavi, the son of the ousted Shah of Iran during the 1979 Islamic Revolution, called for demonstrations against the government.
On the same day, internet access was blocked nationwide, a move that Iranian authorities said aimed to maintain stability, but was criticized by human rights groups as an attempt to limit the flow of information.
In several major cities in Iran, protests turned into clashes with the police as demonstrators chanted slogans criticizing the government and opposing prevailing economic and political policies.
Media reports and monitoring groups mentioned casualties on both sides, including security forces and protesters, although authorities have not released official figures on the deaths or injuries.
At the end of December 2025, U.S. President Donald Trump said he would support a new attack on Iran if Tehran sought to continue its missile and nuclear program development.
Amid the protests, Trump also threatened to launch a major attack if protesters were killed.
Trump also expressed his support for the people of Iran if necessary. The White House's support has heightened tensions between the two countries.
Read: Why Iran's Fate Means More to Oil Markets than Venezuela's
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