Former US President Donald Trump has issued a stark warning to the Iranian regime, telling protesters that "help is on its way" and vowing that Tehran will pay a "big price" for its violent suppression of demonstrations. The intervention comes as the United Kingdom delivered a serious diplomatic rebuke, summoning Iran's ambassador over the brutal crackdown.
Trump's Social Media Ultimatum and UK Diplomatic Move
In a post on his Truth Social platform on Tuesday 13 January 2026, Donald Trump directly addressed demonstrators in Iran. He urged "Iranian Patriots" to "KEEP PROTESTING - TAKE OVER YOUR INSTITUTIONS" and instructed them to document the names of those carrying out abuses. The former president declared he had cancelled all meetings with Iranian officials until the killing stops, signing off with "MIGA" - an acronym for "Make Iran Great Again".
Simultaneously, in London, Foreign Secretary Yvette Cooper informed the House of Commons that the Iranian ambassador had been summoned. She stated the UK's "total abhorrence of the killings, the violence, and the repression" and said the Middle East minister had been instructed to underline the gravity of the situation to the envoy.
Imminent Execution and Dwindling Protests
The escalating international tension follows alarming reports from human rights groups. The Norway-based Hengaw Organisation for Human Rights claims that 26-year-old Erfan Soltani is due to be executed on Wednesday 14 January. A shop owner from Fardis, near Tehran, Soltani was reportedly detained last Thursday. His family, said to be "shocked" and "despairing," were allegedly informed of the execution order only on Monday and have been denied details of any charges or legal proceedings.
Analysts from the Institute for the Study of War note that the widespread protests, which peaked on 8 January, appear to be dying down. They recorded just 14 protests across six provinces on 12 January, a sharp drop from 156 across 27 provinces the previous week. This decline is partly attributed by experts to a government-imposed internet shutdown.
International Reactions and Regional Posturing
The crisis has triggered a significant geopolitical rift. Russia has firmly rejected US pressure, condemning what it called "subversive external interference" in Iran's affairs. The Russian foreign ministry warned that any repetition of the US-Israeli strikes seen in June 2025 would have "disastrous consequences" for regional and global security, labelling Trump's threat of strikes as "categorically unacceptable".
This stance puts Moscow at odds with Washington during sensitive US-mediated peace talks concerning the war in Ukraine. Meanwhile, the US military has been bolstering its regional posture. US Central Command (CENTCOM) announced the opening of a new air and missile defence coordination cell at Al Udeid Air Base in Qatar, enhancing cooperation with regional partners on shared threats.
Protests in solidarity with the Iranian people have been held globally, including outside the Iranian Embassy in London, where images of Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei were burned. As the situation develops, analysts are weighing future scenarios for Iran, ranging from regime change and a potential return of the exiled monarchy to a prolonged and bloody authoritarian crackdown.
