Overview
- President Donald Trump canceled contacts with Tehran, threatened unspecified "very severe" actions, and announced a 25% tariff on any country doing business with Iran.
- Iran’s defense minister Aziz Nasirzadeh vowed to respond decisively to any U.S. attack and said the country would defend itself “to the last drop of blood,” according to state media.
- Verified death tolls diverge sharply: IHRNGO cites about 648 killed, HRANA reports 1,850 deaths and more than 16,700 detentions, and an Iranian official acknowledged roughly 2,000 deaths, while far higher figures cited by opposition sources remain unconfirmed.
- Rights groups warn of accelerated prosecutions, highlighting the case of 26-year-old Erfan Soltani, whose family was told he faces execution on January 14 after a rapid, opaque process.
- Internet restrictions imposed since January 8 continue to hinder independent verification, though some phone service was partially restored, and the UN says an unacceptable number of civilians have been killed without a verified overall count.