U.S. State Department: The World Must Not Remain Silent Against the Evil Actions of the Islamic Republic

As the largest anti-government uprising in Iran enters its seventeenth day, the U.S. State Department announced that during the bloody crackdown on these nationwide protests, over 10,000 protesters have been arrested, and some have been sentenced to death; individuals who have been targeted merely for demanding their basic rights. In a message published on social media platform X on Tuesday, the Persian account of the U.S. State Department stated: 'More than 10,600 Iranians have been arrested solely for demanding their fundamental rights by the Islamic Republic regime.' The account further referenced the case of Erfan Soltani, a 26-year-old who was arrested during the national uprising, noting that Iranian authorities sentenced him to death without access to a defense lawyer and in a 'typical 10-minute show trial.' According to this message, the execution of Erfan Soltani is scheduled to take place on Wednesday. The message from 'America in Persian' stated: 'Erfan is the first protester to be sentenced to death, but he will not be the last; the wave of executions of protesters has officially begun. The world must not remain silent against the evil actions of the Islamic Republic regime.' At the same time, the nationwide internet blackout imposed by the government entered its sixth day on Tuesday evening local time; a situation that has severely hampered the transmission of images and reports from citizen journalists regarding the latest gatherings and the killing of protesters by the repressive forces. However, leaks that are coming out depict horrific scenes of protesters being shot by the repressive forces and a multitude of bodies in the forensic department. Caroline Levitt, a spokesperson for the White House, told reporters on Monday that Donald Trump, the President of the United States, has 'all options' on the table; remarks made after his repeated warnings to the Iranian government that if the killing of peaceful protesters continues, the U.S. may intervene militarily. Levitt stated: 'Airstrikes are one of the multiple options available to the Commander-in-Chief.' She added: 'Diplomacy is always the President's first option. He told you last night that what you hear publicly from the Iranian regime is very different from the messages the government receives privately. The President is interested in reviewing these messages. However, he has shown that he is not afraid to use military options if necessary, and no one knows this better than Iran.' Earlier, the U.S. State Department and the U.S. Virtual Embassy in Iran issued an urgent warning on Monday, January 22, urging American citizens to 'immediately leave Iran.' This warning came amid escalating nationwide protests, increasing violence, and the continuation of widespread internet blackouts, coinciding with the anti-government uprising in Iran entering its third consecutive week. The U.S. State Department warned in this statement that given the unstable security conditions, the lack of a U.S. diplomatic representation in Iran, and severe limitations in providing consular services, the presence of American citizens in the country carries serious risks. The U.S. has not had an active embassy or consulate in Iran for years, and emergency matters for American citizens are only pursued in a limited manner through the Swiss embassy in Tehran; services that do not include routine consular matters. The U.S. State Department also reiterated that the travel warning for Iran remains at its highest level, namely 'Level 4: Do Not Travel to Iran.' This warning specifies that American citizens in Iran are at risk of arbitrary detention, torture, deprivation of consular services, and unjust arrests; risks that have intensified with the spread of anti-government protests across the country. The 'U.S. Virtual Embassy in Iran' also issued a separate security warning stating: 'Protests are escalating across Iran. Security measures have increased, roads have been blocked, public transport disruptions continue, and internet blackouts are being widely enforced.' The warning further noted that many airlines have limited or canceled their flights to and from Iran, and some companies have announced that they will not resume services at least until Friday, January 16. This agency has urged American citizens to plan for alternative communications given the ongoing internet blackout and to consider land exit from Iran to Armenia or Turkey if possible and with safety considerations. It has also been emphasized that dual nationals of Iran and the U.S. must leave Iran with their Iranian passports. In another part of this warning, it is stated that American citizens in Iran are at serious risk of summons, interrogation, detention, and imprisonment, and even showing an American passport or having connections with the United States can alone be a reason for arrest by Iranian authorities.