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Flights have resumed over Iran after an order closing its airspace to commercial aircraft expired
James C. Reynolds & Bryony GoochFriday 16 January 2026 01:00 GMT- Bookmark
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Donald Trump has warned Tehran’s leadership that any further killing will have “grave consequences” as a US aircraft carrier moves closer to the Middle East.
The US president has refused to rule out strikes on Iran, although he paused his threat of imminent strikes on Wednesday as Iran promised it would relent on its brutal crackdown of protests following more than two weeks of bitter nationwide unrest.
The White House said that so far 800 executions had been halted in what appeared to be a de-escalation in Iran. Trump has hailed his own efforts, sharing a report that Iran would refrain from executing 26-year-old protester Erfan Soltani “after president Trump’s warnings”. He wrote: “This is good news. Hopefully, it will continue.”
He did not rule out potential US military action, however, saying "we are going to watch what the process is" before noting that his administration had received a "very good statement" from Iran.
The Pentagon was said to be moving a carrier strike group from the South China Sea to the US Central Command’s area of control, which includes the Middle East, according to US outlet NewsNation, citing unnamed sources.
Satellite imagery showed the 100,000-ton USS Abraham Lincoln travelling west past the Philippines on Wednesday, according to Sky News.
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Key Points
- 'No plans for executions': Trump claims killings in Iran have stopped
- Iran's judiciary says Erfan Soltani will not be given death sentence
- UK ambassador and all staff evacuated from Iran
- UN Security Council to hold emergency meeting on Iran
- Trump warns Iran that any further killing will have 'grave consequences'
Iranian dissident accuses UN of failing to adequately respond
Masih Alinejad, one of the most vocal Iranian dissidents in the US, accused the United Nations and the Security Council of failing "to respond with the urgency this moment demands" at the emergency U.N. Security Council meeting Thursday.
In October, two purported Russian mobsters were each sentenced to 25 years behind bars for hiring a hitman to kill Alinejad at her Brooklyn home on behalf of the Iranian government.
Sitting across the table from the Iranian ambassador to the UN, Alinejad, who came after an invitation from the US, said that "the members of this body have forgotten the privilege and responsibility of sitting in this room."
Bryony Gooch16 January 2026 01:00Recap: UN Security Council to discuss Iran's deadly protests after US request
The UN Security Council scheduled an emergency meeting Thursday to discuss Iran's deadly protests at the request of the United States, even as president Donald Trump left unclear what actions he would take against the Islamic Republic.
Tehran appeared to make conciliatory statements in an effort to defuse the situation after Trump threatened to take action to stop further killing of protesters, including the execution of anyone detained in Tehran's bloody crackdown on nationwide protests.
White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt said, "All options remain on the table for the president."
Iran's crackdown on the demonstrations has killed at least 2,615, the US-based Human Rights Activists News Agency reported. The death toll exceeds any other round of protest or unrest in Iran in decades and recalls the chaos surrounding the country's 1979 Islamic Revolution.
Bryony Gooch16 January 2026 00:00Where are the main US military bases located in the Middle East?
Where are the main US military bases located in the Middle East?
The Middle East locations where the US has military basesBryony Gooch15 January 2026 23:00In pictures: Iranians residing in Armenia hold a demonstration in solidarity with protestors
(AFP via Getty Images)
(AFP via Getty Images)Bryony Gooch15 January 2026 22:00'All options on table to stop slaughter in Iran' says US ambassador to UN
The United States stands by the “brave people of Iran” and president Donald Trump "has made it clear all options are on the table to stop the slaughter," US Ambassador to the United Nations Mike Waltz told the UN Security Council on Thursday.
It comes after White House press secretary said that Trump had warned Tehran that any further killing would have “grave consequences”.
Bryony Gooch15 January 2026 21:32How Iran’s internet blackout is affecting your social media feed
How Iran’s internet blackout is affecting your social media feed
Iran’s internet blackout is impacting news algorithms and our social media feeds, an internet watchdog has warned. In an exclusive interview with The Independent, Alp Toker, founder of NetBlocks explains how the internet shutdown in Iran is not just causing local disruption. “Algorithms on social media platforms and other online areas are really designed to work when there's a free flow of information. When there is a void or an information vacuum from a certain area, the algorithm still has to satisfy its constraints”, Toker says. “That content is no longer what the user actually expected or wanted. It's now less relevant information, potentially even misleading or disinformation or misinformation that's going from irrelevant sources or those trying to alter the narrative.” “This applies to all platforms. News gathering platforms and some news sites even use similar algorithms to keep their engagement high,” he added. Bryony Gooch15 January 2026 21:00Watch: Exiled Iranian Crown Prince says protest death toll could more than 12,000
Exiled Iranian Crown Prince says protest death toll could more than 12,000Bryony Gooch15 January 2026 20:30Four Arab states urged against US-Iran escalation, official says
Four Arab states conducted intense diplomacy with the United States and Iran this week to prevent a threatened U.S. attack on Iran over Tehran's use of force against protesters that they feared would have impacts across the region, a Gulf official said.
Saudi Arabia, Qatar, Oman and Egypt were involved in the diplomacy over 48 hours before US president Donald Trump signalled on Thursday that he had ultimately decided against an attack for now, saying the killings in Iran were easing.
Bryony Gooch15 January 2026 20:00IFRC warns safety of humanitarian workers need protecting as one worker dies
The International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies has shared a tribute after staff member Amir Ali Latifi was killed and five other workers were wounded in the line of duty in Gillan province on Saturday.
A statement reads: “The IFRC expresses its sincere condolences to his family, loved ones, and all IRCS colleagues.
“We stand in solidarity with the Iranian Red Crescent Society and all medical and humanitarian workers providing life-saving assistance during this difficult time. Humanitarian workers must be protected.
“The Iranian Red Crescent Society is a humanitarian organization and part of the International Red Cross and Red Crescent Movement, operating in accordance with the Fundamental Principles of Humanity, Neutrality, Impartiality and Independence.
“The safety and protection of humanitarian personnel, as well as respect for the Red Cross and Red Crescent emblems, are essential to ensure the continued delivery of impartial, life-saving assistance to people in need.
“The IFRC is deeply concerned about the consequences of the ongoing unrest on the people of Iran and is closely monitoring the situation in coordination with the Iranian Red Crescent Society.”
Bryony Gooch15 January 2026 19:30In pictures: Photos come out of Tehran as country remains in Internet blackout
(via REUTERS)
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