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Iran state TV hacked to show exiled Crown Prince Pahlavi
Multiple Iranian state TV channels were hacked on Sunday amid a near-total internet shutdown to air footage of exiled Crown Prince Reza Pahlavi and images of anti-government protests that have rocked Tehran in recent weeks.
Two clips of Pahlavi were shown as well as a graphic calling on Iranian security forces to side with the public, The Associated Press reported.
"Don't point your weapons at the people. Join the nation for the freedom of Iran," one graphic read, according to a translation from the outlet.
Pahlavi himself called on Iran’s military to break with the Islamic Republic and side with the people.
"I have a special message for the military. You are the national army of Iran, not the Islamic Republic army," he said in the hacked broadcast. "You have a duty to protect your own lives. You don’t have much time left. Join the people as soon as possible."
The U.S.-based Human Rights Activists News Agency (HRANA), which tracks human rights violations in Iran, said on Sunday that nationwide protests continued into the 22nd day as President Donald Trump weighs possible U.S. military action.
The group’s aggregated figures showed 624 recorded protests, the arrest of at least 24,669 people and the confirmed deaths of 3,919 individuals.
KHAMENEI CALLS TRUMP A ‘CRIMINAL,’ BLAMES HIM FOR DEADLY PROTESTS SWEEPING IRAN
HRANA said 3,685 of those killed were protesters, including 25 children under the age of 18.
Nearly 9,000 deaths remain under investigation.
Iran International reported that witnesses across multiple cities told them security forces stormed hospitals, removed injured protesters and interfered with medical care, while reports from other areas described overwhelmed morgues and a strong security presence around medical facilities.
The outlet also reported that witnesses described injured protesters being left without medical care after shootings, as ambulances failed to arrive and phone networks were unavailable.
Others said hospitals were inaccessible or refused treatment, resulting in some wounded protesters bleeding to death while taking shelter in nearby buildings.
Iran accused of killing 16,500 in sweeping ‘genocide’ crackdown: report
Iranian protesters are facing their deadliest days yet as security forces unleash mass killings and executions in a sweeping crackdown some have labeled "genocide," new reports say.
According to The Sunday Times, a report compiled by doctors entrenched in the region and reviewed by the outlet, estimates that security forces have killed at least 16,500 protesters and injured more than 330,000 others.
The report also described the violence as an "utter slaughter," warning that the true toll may be even higher due to restricted access to hospitals and the near-total shutdown of communications.
Most of the victims, the report says, are believed to be under the age of 30, underscoring the heavy toll on Iran’s younger generation as the regime intensifies its efforts to crush dissent.
Iran’s Supreme Leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei acknowledged Sunday that "several thousands" have been killed since protests erupted Dec. 28.
In a televised address, he blamed demonstrators, calling them "foot-soldiers of the U.S." and falsely claiming protesters were armed with imported live ammunition.
Meanwhile, Human Rights Activists News Agency (HRANA) reported that as of day 22 of the protests, verified figures show 3,919 people killed, with 8,949 additional deaths under investigation, 2,109 severely injured, and 24,669 detainees.
HRANA noted that the true toll is likely far higher due to the internet shutdown.
Professor Amir Parasta, an Iranian-German eye surgeon and medical director of Munich MED, said in The Sunday Times report that doctors across Iran are "shocked and crying," despite having experience treating war injuries.
G7 THREATENS IRAN WITH NEW SANCTIONS OVER NATIONWIDE PROTEST CRACKDOWN KILLING THOUSANDS
"This is a whole new level of brutality," Parasta said. He added that Starlink terminals smuggled into Iran have been the only means of communication since authorities cut internet access on Jan. 8.
Eyewitnesses who fled Iran also described snipers targeting protesters’ heads, mass shootings and systematic blinding using pellet guns.
One former Iranian resident said in the report that doctors reported more than 800 eye removals in a single night in the capital alone, with possibly more than 8,000 people blinded nationwide.
"This is genocide under the cover of digital darkness," Parasta said.
Alongside the street killings, executions have surged dramatically, according to Ali Safavi, a senior official with the National Council of Resistance of Iran (NCRI).
Safavi told Fox News Digital that 2,200 people were executed in 2025, while 153 have already been hanged in the first 18 days of January 2026, averaging more than eight executions per day.
IRAN REGIME OPENED FIRE WITH LIVE AMMUNITION ON PROTESTERS, DOCTOR SAYS: ‘SHOOT-TO-KILL’
"Ali Khamenei is continuing mass executions in parallel with the killing of young protesters," Safavi said. "Three executions in the form of hanging are now happening every hour according to our data."
Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi previously disputed high death tolls reported in an interview with Fox News’ Bret Baier, claiming fatalities were only in the hundreds and dismissing higher figures as "misinformation."
President Donald Trump sharply condemned Khamenei over the weekend, calling him a "sick man" and urging new leadership in Iran.
In an interview with Politico, Trump accused Khamenei of overseeing "the complete destruction of the country" and using "violence at levels never seen before," adding that Iran’s leadership should "stop killing people."
Viral protest video against Iran’s supreme leader sparks copycat demonstrations worldwide
A viral video showing an Iranian refugee lighting a cigarette using a burning image of Iran’s supreme leader has become a global flashpoint as protests rock the Islamic Republic and President Donald Trump weighs military action against the regime.
The Associated Press reported the 34-second video shows a woman believed to be living in Canada igniting a photo of Ayatollah Ali Khamenei – a capital crime in Iran – before calmly lighting a cigarette and letting the image fall to the ground.
The images accompanying this story show protesters recreating the act at demonstrations outside Iran, not the woman featured in the original viral video.
The footage has spread rapidly across social media as Iran’s government carries out a violent crackdown on dissent that activists say has killed thousands.
The video has been shared millions of times across platforms such as X, Instagram and Reddit, with many viewers seeing it as a stark act of defiance against Iran’s clerical rulers.
Others have questioned whether the moment was spontaneous or staged, highlighting the growing skepticism that surrounds viral images in an age of artificial intelligence and information warfare.
What is undisputed is the symbolism of the act. In Iran, burning an image of Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei can be punishable by death.
Smoking in public is considered immodest, and women are legally required to wear hijabs. In the brief clip, the woman defies all three norms at once, appearing without a headscarf as her hair hangs close to the flame.
G7 THREATENS IRAN WITH NEW SANCTIONS OVER NATIONWIDE PROTEST CRACKDOWN KILLING THOUSANDS
The gesture has leapt from the digital world into the real one. Photos and videos have surfaced from protests in Europe, Israel and the U.S. showing demonstrators lighting cigarettes using images of Khamenei, mimicking what has become known online as the "cigarette girl" moment.
Iranian state media has announced wave after wave of arrests, targeting those it labels "terrorists" and seizing Starlink satellite internet equipment – often the only way videos can escape the country during government-imposed internet blackouts.
Activists say the regime has intensified repression in recent weeks as unrest spreads amid economic collapse and political instability.
EXILED IRANIAN CROWN PRINCE REVEALS 6-STEP PLAN TO EXERT PRESSURE ON TEHRAN'S REGIME
The AP reported the woman has described herself in interviews with other outlets as an Iranian refugee living in Toronto, and said she fled Iran after repeated arrests and abuse by security forces.
She filmed the video on Jan. 7, according to The AP – one day before Iran imposed a near-total internet blackout. She did so to show solidarity with "friends" inside the country, she said. She has asked that her real name not be published, citing fears for her safety and for family members who remain in Iran.
The video’s explosive reach underscores how social media has become a central battleground in modern conflicts, with images shaping global perception faster than governments can control them.
As Trump weighs next steps toward Tehran, the clip has become more than a viral moment – it has become a symbol of resistance, scrutiny and the high stakes of dissent under authoritarian rule.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
Iranian regime elites allegedly move millions of dollars out of country amid sanctions
Members of Iran’s ruling elite are said to have moved "tens of millions of dollars" out of the country as the U.S. imposed fresh sanctions over the regime’s violent protest crackdown, according to reports.
The regime's "capital flight" came as the Treasury Department’s Office of Foreign Assets Control announced on Jan. 15 in a release that it was taking "action against the shadow banking networks that allow Iran’s elite to steal and launder revenue generated by the country’s natural resources."
"There are several reports, some of which are yet to be confirmed, about capital flight in various forms from the Islamic Republic," Behnam Ben Taleblu, a senior fellow at the Foundation for Defense of Democracies, told Fox News Digital.
If confirmed, Ben Taleblu said, the suspected exodus of money underscores the need for U.S. authorities to track and "freeze and seize" assets tied to sanctioned figures.
"If capital flight has taken place, then these are accounts that the U.S. government should be looking to monitor, block, freeze and seize," he said.
"At the direction of President Trump, the Treasury Department is sanctioning key Iranian leaders involved in the brutal crackdown against the Iranian people. Treasury will use every tool to target those behind the regime’s tyrannical oppression of human rights," Secretary of the Treasury Scott Bessent also said in a statement on Jan. 15.
Bessent went on to reveal in an interview how his department had tracked the wiring of "tens of millions of dollars" out of Iran by leaders.
"We are now seeing the rats fleeing the ship, because we can see millions, tens of millions of dollars being wired out of the country, snuck out of the country by the Iranian leadership," Bessent added.
FREED IRANIAN PRISONER SAYS ‘IN TRUMP, THE ISLAMIC REPUBLIC HAS MET ITS MATCH’
"So they are abandoning ship, and we are seeing it come into banks and financial institutions all over the world," he added.
Iranian figures were said to be moving large sums abroad, with Mojtaba Khamenei, the son of Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei allegedly transferring roughly $328 million overseas as part of an estimated $1.5 billion shift in recent days, Channel 14 reported.
"There were also some reports on social media about large volumes of Bitcoin being transferred, or other kinds of financial assets. I haven’t been able to independently confirm that, but it is something that’s being discussed," Ben Taleblu added.
"The fact that the Treasury Department is looking at this tells you quite seriously that Washington is also trying to link its foreign economic policy with its national security policy," he said.
Ben Taleblu also claimed Iran’s shadow banking system has been deeply embedded in global finance, with billions of dollars routed through jurisdictions "including the United Arab Emirates, Hong Kong and Singapore."
KEANE WARNS IRAN'S LEADERSHIP TO TAKE TRUMP 'AT HIS WORD' AS MILITARY ASSETS MOVE INTO REGION
"In the past, Washington has tracked the regime’s shadow banking activities, which, unfortunately, even include trade and money laundering through friendlier, more Western-leaning jurisdictions," Ben Taleblu explained.
"In fact, the Treasury Department identified almost $9 billion of Iranian shadow banking activity that touched U.S. correspondent accounts throughout 2024," he said.
Ben Taleblu added that the economic pressure campaign places renewed attention on President Donald Trump’s next move.
"All eyes right now are on President Trump to see if he takes a page from the Reagan playbook, the Obama playbook, or something else entirely," Ben Taleblu said.
"The million-dollar question is whether there will be something kinetic, especially after the most violent crackdown against protesters in the Islamic Republic’s history."
"Economic sanctions are helpful and necessary," he added, "but they are nowhere near sufficient to level the playing field between the street and the state."
Russia plots major strike on Europe's largest nuclear plant power lines: source
Russia is preparing to target Europe's biggest nuclear power plant's power lines in a move that could unfold within days, according to a source familiar with the matter.
Ukrainian officials had said Moscow's plan was focused on high-voltage transmission infrastructure rather than direct strikes on nuclear reactors, but a source has since claimed the Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Power Plant lines (ZNPP) are Moscow’s focus.
In a statement released Jan. 17, the Main Directorate of Intelligence of Ukraine’s Defense Ministry (HUR) had warned that Russia was weighing attacks on substations critical to nuclear power generation.
"In order to force Ukraine to sign unacceptable surrender demands to end the war, the aggressor state Russia is considering the option of attacking strategic facilities of our state's energy system — we are talking about electricity transmission substations that ensure the operation of Ukrainian nuclear power plants."
"The threat is at ZNPP," a source told Fox News Digital. "There are talks of a massive attack either tonight or in the coming nights," the source said on condition of anonymity, adding that "the talks within the Ukrainian government are about ZNPP and the lines, and these talks have not been for the first time."
According to The Associated Press, Russia also targeted energy infrastructure in Odesa region overnight Sunday, according to Ukraine’s Emergency Service.
ZNPP is located in southern Ukraine and consists of six VVER-1000 pressurized water reactors, and has been under Russian occupation since March 2022, according to reports.
Although the reactors are no longer producing electricity, the plant needs external power to maintain cooling and safety systems.
The IAEA has repeatedly warned that disruptions to off-site power supplies and lines pose a serious nuclear safety risk.
A Jan. 16 localized ceasefire was agreed between Russia and Ukraine for repairs under IAEA coordination on one backup power line at ZNPP that had already been damaged.
In a statement, IAEA Director General Rafael Mariano Grossi said Jan. 16: "The IAEA continues to work closely with both sides to ensure nuclear safety at the ZNPP and to prevent a nuclear accident during the conflict. This temporary ceasefire, the fourth we have negotiated, demonstrates the indispensable role that we continue to play."
"A deterioration of Ukraine’s power grid from persistent military activity has direct implications on the nuclear safety of its nuclear facilities," Grossi said.
"Russia is said to be going to do this strike, maybe even tonight," the source said of the ZNPP operation.
RUSSIA FIRES NEW BALLISTIC MISSILE AT UKRAINE, KILLING AT LEAST FOUR
"Information also from the Ukrainian Parliament and Ukrainian Security Service, or internally, is that the Russian army told the Ukrainian army that if they don't stop shelling their tankers in the sea or shelling their oil refineries, as well as their electric stations like power stations," the source said, "then they will fully destroy Kyiv energy facilities aswell."
"The parliament knows this. But we keep shelling," the source added.
"This is a very difficult situation," the source continued, saying Ukrainian leadership, the Ukrainian parliament and "obviously the office of the president" are fully aware that "if we keep shelling Russian tankers and oil refineries, then they will destroy everything that we have."
President Volodymyr Zelenskyy also recently urged NATO allies to urgently deliver additional air-defense missiles, warning that some systems are running low on ammunition, according to reports.
"To actually preserve the energy in the country when it is minus 20 outside and people are literally suffering hugely," the source added. "People don't have electricity, don't have warmth and some don't even have water."
"And this is a very controversial situation," the source said, "particularly for the Ukrainian people sitting inside, hungry and freezing, and overall being in this disastrous humanitarian situation."
Fox News Digital has reached out to President Zelenskyy's office for comment.
Six countries confirm US invitations to Gaza peace board
The United States has extended invitations to multiple foreign governments to join President Donald Trump’s "Board of Peace," with at least six countries confirming on Sunday that they were invited.
The Associated Press reported the six countries are: Jordan, Greece, Cyprus, Pakistan, Hungary and India.
Canada, Turkey, Egypt, Paraguay, Argentina and Albania have already said they too were invited, according to the outlet.
The White House on Friday released a statement outlining the next phase of Trump’s Gaza peace plan, naming senior international figures to oversee governance, reconstruction and long-term development of the enclave.
FROM GAZA TO IRAN: WHAT’S AT STAKE IN TRUMP-NETANYAHU MAR-A-LAGO TALKS?
"The Board of Peace will play an essential role in fulfilling all 20 points of the President’s plan, providing strategic oversight, mobilizing international resources, and ensuring accountability as Gaza transitions from conflict to peace and development," the statement said in part.
Trump will chair the board and be joined by a group of senior political, diplomatic and business figures, including his son-in-law Jared Kushner, Secretary of State Marco Rubio, U.S. special envoy Steve Witkoff and billionaire Marc Rowan, among others.
The Gaza Executive Board, which supports governance and the delivery of services, will work alongside the Office of the High Representative and the National Committee for the Administration of Gaza to advance "peace, stability, and prosperity."
Notably, Turkey’s Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan and Qatari diplomat Ali Al-Thawadi were named as appointed members.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s office said on X that the composition of the Gaza Executive Board was not coordinated with Israel and "runs contrary to its policy."
Netanyahu’s office said it told Israeli Foreign Minister Gideon Sa'ar to contact Rubio to convey Israel’s concerns.
Under Trump's plan, Hamas was to turn over all living and deceased hostages that were still being held in Gaza. To date, one dead hostage, Ran Gvili, has yet to be handed over.
The White House said additional Executive Board and Gaza Executive Board members will be announced over the coming weeks.
Ukrainian drone strikes leave hundreds of thousands without power across Russian-controlled area
Ukrainian drone strikes targeted energy infrastructure across Russian-controlled areas in southern Ukraine in an attack on Sunday, leaving hundreds of thousands of people without power.
Ukrainian officials say the attack is an effort to "weaponize winter," much as Russian forces targeted Ukraine's power grid. Russia's attacks continued in kind overnight, killing two people, Ukraine says.
More than 200,000 households in the Russia-held part of Ukraine’s southern Zaporizhzhia region had no electricity on Sunday, according to the Kremlin-installed local governor.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said in a Telegram post that repairing the country’s energy system remains challenging, "but we are doing everything we can to restore everything as quickly as possible."
He said that two people were killed in overnight attacks across the country that struck Sumy, Kharkiv, Dnipro, Zaporizhzhia, Khmelnytskyi and Odesa.
In total, more than 1,300 attack drones, 1,050 guided aerial bombs and 29 missiles of various types were used by Russia to strike Ukraine this week, Ukraine says.
Meanwhile, discussions continue between the U.S., Ukraine and Russia in an effort to secure a peace deal. Zelenskyy has consistently argued Russia is not committed to the peace process.
RUSSIA FIRES NEW HYPERSONIC MISSILE IN MASSIVE UKRAINE ATTACK, KREMLIN SAYS
"If Russia deliberately delays the diplomatic process, the world’s response should be decisive: more help for Ukraine and more pressure on the aggressor," Zelenskyy said Sunday.
President Donald Trump argued last week, however, that it was Ukraine, not Russia, holding up a possible peace agreement.
"I think he's ready to make a deal," Trump told Reuters of Putin. "I think Ukraine is less ready to make a deal."
When he was asked why U.S. intervention had not brought about an end to the war, Trump responded: "Zelenskyy," Reuters reported.
Trump refused to go into detail on why he believed Zelenskyy was holding back, saying that he believes the Ukrainian president was "having a hard time getting there," referring to a peace agreement. However, later in the interview, Trump said he would be willing to meet with Zelenskyy at the upcoming World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
World Economic Forum invites Iranian foreign minister to Davos after regime slaughter of Iranian civilians
The World Economic Forum is facing calls to freeze out members of the Iranian regime from an upcoming summit in Davos this week.
The Iran watchdog group United Against Nuclear Iran sent a letter to WEF President Borge Brende on Friday urging the group not to invite any officials from the Islamic Republic of Iran. The group tells Fox News Digital that WEF did not respond to the letter, and instead the forum added an interview with Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi to the summit's schedule on Sunday.
WEF did not immediately respond to a request for comment from Fox News Digital.
UANI CEO Mark Wallace, who previously served as U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations under President George W. Bush, cited human rights group reports regarding the mass slaughter of Iranian civilians by Ayatollah Ali Khamenei's regime.
EXILED IRANIAN CROWN PRINCE REVEALS 6-STEP PLAN TO EXERT PRESSURE ON TEHRAN'S REGIME
"Just this month, the Iranian regime has carried out what some believe to be the largest massacre in its history," Wallace wrote to Brende. "Araghchi is a member of the Supreme National Security Council (SNSC), which reportedly issued an order to use live fire on Iranian civilians protesting. Estimates suggest the regime killed at least 12,000 and up to 20,000 Iranians over the course of a few days in January as they exercised their fundamental rights to demonstrate against the Ayatollah and his tyranny."
"Hosting Iranian regime officials, such as Araghchi, who whitewash this record is deeply offensive and would be wholly inappropriate to platform at a Forum whose theme this year is 'A Spirit of Dialogue.' Instead of dialogue, the Islamic Republic offered bullets to these brave Iranians," Wallace continued.
Iran’s supreme leader publicly acknowledged for the first time Saturday that thousands of people were killed during recent anti-government protests, according to reporting from the BBC.
Khamenei made the remarks during a public address Saturday, blaming the U.S. for the unrest and violence and saying some protesters died "in an inhuman, savage manner."
U.S.-based Iranian Human Rights Activists News Agency estimates that more than 3,000 people were killed over roughly three weeks of unrest, though Iranian authorities have not released an official death toll and other estimates have been higher.
Videos authenticated by BBC Persian and BBC Verify show Iranian security forces firing on demonstrators during the unrest.
Trump told Politico on Saturday that "it’s time to look for new leadership in Iran," after being read a series of hostile posts from Khamenei’s X account accusing the president of responsibility for the violence.
"What he is guilty of, as the leader of a country, is the complete destruction of the country and the use of violence at levels never seen before," Trump said, according to Politico. "Leadership is about respect, not fear and death."
Fox News' Jasmine Baehr contributed to this report.
Venezuela’s acting leader was once a DEA 'priority target': report
Venezuela’s interim President Delcy Rodríguez has appeared in U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) intelligence files dating back several years and was labeled a "priority target" in 2022, according to documents obtained by The Associated Press.
The documents show the DEA has intelligence files on Rodríguez going back to at least 2018, with her name appearing in multiple investigations across several U.S. and international field offices, though she has never been publicly accused of any criminal wrongdoing, the outlet reported.
The DEA did not immediately respond to Fox News Digital’s request for comment.
The "priority target" designation is used by the agency to focus investigative resources on individuals or organizations believed to play a significant role in major drug trafficking or money laundering operations affecting the United States, according to a 2008 DEA assessment.
Rodríguez was formally sworn in as Venezuela's new leader on Jan. 5, just two days after U.S. forces extracted Nicolás Maduro and his wife Cilia Flores from their compound in Caracas in an early-morning military operation.
Maduro and Flores were taken into U.S. custody and flown to New York to face federal charges.
Maduro is charged with four counts: narco-terrorism conspiracy, cocaine importation conspiracy, possession of machine-guns and destructive devices, and conspiracy to possess machine-guns and destructive devices. His wife is charged with three counts: cocaine importation conspiracy, possession of machine-guns and destructive devices, and conspiracy to possess machine-guns and destructive devices.
TRUMP PLANS TO MEET WITH VENEZUELA OPPOSITION LEADER MARIA CORINA MACHADO NEXT WEEK
The White House has been working with Rodríguez in the weeks since Maduro was ousted. President Donald Trump told reporters in the Oval Office on Wednesday that he spoke with Rodríguez by phone and praised her as a "terrific person."
"We discussed a lot of things and I think we’re getting along very well with Venezuela," he said.
Venezuelan opposition leader María Corina Machado criticized Rodríguez as the Trump administration engages with the Maduro ally, arguing she does not represent the Venezuelan people.
"I want to insist on this: Delcy Rodríguez, yes, she’s a communist. She’s the main ally and representation of the Russian regime, the Chinese and the Iranians, but that’s not the Venezuelan people and that’s not the armed forces, as well," Machado said at a Heritage Foundation event on Friday.
"So I am profoundly, profoundly confident that we will have an orderly transition. This is a complex phase we are in right now. Some of the dirty work is being done by them," she added. "But then, the result of a stable transition will be a proud Venezuela who is going to be the best ally the United States has ever had in the Americas."
European leaders warn Trump tariffs over Greenland 'risk a dangerous downward spiral'
More than half a dozen European countries warned in a joint statement on Sunday that tariff threats over Greenland undermine transatlantic relations as the White House seeks to pressure allies into a deal to acquire the Arctic island.
The statement, issued by Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, the Netherlands, Norway, Sweden and the United Kingdom, said the countries remain committed to strengthening Arctic security and are prepared to engage in dialogue grounded in respect for sovereignty and territorial integrity.
"Tariff threats undermine transatlantic relations and risk a dangerous downward spiral. We will continue to stand united and coordinated in our response," the statement said in part. "We are committed to upholding our sovereignty."
The North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) members said they also stand in "full solidarity with the Kingdom of Denmark and the people of Greenland."
JOHNSON: 'NO BOOTS ON THE GROUND' FOR TRUMP'S GREENLAND ACQUISITION PLANS AMID MILITARY SPECULATION
The statement comes after President Donald Trump threatened on his Truth Social platform to impose a 10% tariff on the eight countries unless a deal is reached for what he called the "complete and total purchase of Greenland."
Trump said the 10% tariff would go into effect on Feb. 2 and could rise to 25% on June 1.
European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen, French President Emmanuel Macron, Swedish Prime Minister Ulf Kristersson, Finnish President Alexander Stubb, Norwegian Prime Minister Jonas Gahr Støre and U.K. Prime Minister Keir Starmer condemned Trump’s post Saturday on social media.
Kristersson wrote on X that allies would not be "blackmailed."
"Only Denmark and Greenland decide on issues concerning Denmark and Greenland," he said, adding that other European Union (EU) countries were discussing a coordinated response.
Kaja Kallas, the EU’s top diplomat, also voiced concern over Trump’s remarks, warning that Russia and China were "having a field day" and stood to benefit from divisions within NATO.
"If Greenland’s security is at risk, we can address this inside NATO. Tariffs risk making Europe and the United States poorer and undermine our shared prosperity," she said. "We also cannot let our dispute distract us from our core task of helping to end Russia’s war against Ukraine."
Trump has repeatedly said the United States needs Greenland, a semiautonomous Danish territory, for "national security" purposes.
Greenland’s natural resource wealth has also long-drawn strategic interest, the Center for Strategic and International Studies said in a January report, noting the territory is rich in iron ore, graphite, tungsten, palladium, vanadium, zinc, gold, uranium, copper and oil.
TRUMP KNOWS GOOD REAL ESTATE — AND HE KNOWS GREENLAND'S VALUE TO NATIONAL SECURITY
Greenland’s leaders, however, have firmly rejected any suggestion the territory’s future or sovereignty is open to negotiation.
Greenland's Prime Minister Jens-Frederik Nielsen said on Facebook Thursday that the territory is "not for sale" and will not be owned or governed by the U.S.
DENMARK'S FOREIGN MINISTER SAYS TRUMP HAS A POINT ON CHINA, RUSSIA THREAT TO GREENLAND
"Greenland does not want to be a part of the United States," Nielsen argued.
Sen. Thom Tillis, R-N.C., said the Trump administration’s efforts to "seize" the territory of an ally were "beyond stupid."
"It hurts the legacy of President Trump and undercuts all the work he has done to strengthen the NATO alliance over the years," Tillis explained.
Argentina's bungled hunt for Hitler's right-hand man Martin Bormann revealed in declassified files
FIRST ON FOX: Multiple documents released by Argentine President Javier Milei last year reveal how Argentina’s search for Nazi war criminals, who found refuge in the country during and after the Second World War were able to avoid arrest and, for the most part, live ordinary lives.
While Argentina’s Peronist government sympathized and often knew of Nazi criminals hiding in their territory – often under their auspices – once the populist regime fell, the South American nation half-heartedly tried to keep tabs on the war-criminals hiding there.
Though while many high-profile cases went nowhere, the case of Hitler’s henchman Martin Bormann is exemplary in showing how inefficient Argentina was in its investigations.
ARGENTINA REVEALS SECRET WWII FILES ON HITLER'S HENCHMEN WHO FLED BEFORE, AFTER THE WAR
Bormann was one of the most powerful figures in the Nazi regime, despite his relatively low profile in the public. He used his position as private secretary to Hitler and head of the Nazi Party Chancellery to control the flow of documents personally received by Hitler and who had access to him.
Through enormous administrative influence, he shaped policy and controlled what Hitler saw, who he met, and advised on major decisions. Bormann supported extreme antisemitic measures and was one of the masterminds of the Aryanization project. Bormann disappeared in May 1945 during the fall of Berlin. For decades, it was speculated he had fled to Argentina along the ratlines — escape routes facilitated by Nazi sympathizers. Bormann was sentenced to death in absentia during the Nuremberg Trials.
The files show that Bormann was one of the very few Nazis the Argentinians actively tried to pursue and bring to justice. However, most of the leads came from sensationalist press articles often devoid of factual and actionable intelligence beyond the mere mention that he was hiding in Argentina.
The files meticulously depict intelligence agencies trying to corroborate such reports and assert whether the floated false aliases matched the actual man in Argentina. Agencies followed information coming from reports in the Argentine, U.S., British and Brazilian press, along with some translations from German-language media published in Argentina by the émigré community who were suspected of harboring Nazi sympathizers.
The articles triggered extensive paper trails between the ministry of justice, intelligence bodies, border and customs agencies, the federal police, and local authorities, but were often disconnected from one another, or took a long time to be referred to the various sub-offices for action.
ARGENTINA REVEALS SECRET WWII FILES ON HITLER'S HENCHMEN WHO FLED BEFORE, AFTER THE WAR
As a result, multiple similar searches were carried out at various points haphazardly and a tangle of bureaucracy made authorities play catch up to press reports rather than conducting independent and rational investigations. The files are a testament that the hunt for Nazis in South America was shaped by rumor, miscommunication, mistaken identities, Cold War politics and intense media speculation.
Some of the information reviewed by Fox News Digital showed authorities took rumors such as a hunt for Bormann in the jungles of Peru, Colombia and Brazil as credible. A case of an elderly German man detained in Colombia in 1972 as Bormann (later cleared and released) despite voiced skepticism by Nazi-hunter Simon Wiesenthal is also part of the files.
The diplomatic shockwaves that followed Israel’s Mossad seizing Adolf Eichmann in Argentina left local officials acutely sensitive to international scrutiny, recasting the search for Bormann as a bid to ensure the country would not be embarrassed on the world stage a second time.
A pivotal—and ultimately flawed—lead in the Bormann files emerged in 1955, when police, relying on fading testimonies about an illegal German laborer, along with rumors, seized correspondence, and aging witnesses, began pursuing a man named Walter Wilhelm Flegel.
Flegel had arrived through Chile, was missing an arm due to an accident, and had been previously arrested and brought to court twice on assault and robbery charges. Suspicions led to his arrest in Mendoza in 1960 despite his complete dissemblance, lack of education, long presence in the country, age gaps and missing factual connections that could tie him to Martin Bormann. Notwithstanding such mismatching profiles — and fingerprints — it still took a week for Argentinians to be convinced Flegel was not Martin Bormann and free him.
Ultimately, despite continued rumors, and Argentina’s singular resolve in finally arresting one of the many Nazi fugitives thought to be in the country, human remains found in Berlin in 1972 were a match and confirmed Bormann’s death during the city’s fall through dental and cranial records. Later, in the 1990s, further DNA testing confirmed the remains found in Berlin indeed belonged to Bormann, bringing the misdirected Argentinian search finally to a close
Woman wakes up with 8-foot python coiled on her chest while sleeping: 'Don't move'
"Oh baby. Don’t move. There is like a 2.5-meter python on you."
An Australian woman woke up in the middle of the night to discover a massive carpet python coiled across her chest after the snake slithered into her second-story bedroom in Brisbane, Queensland.
Rachel Bloor said she initially believed the heavy weight on her stomach and chest was her dog lying on top of her. But when she reached out under the covers, she felt something smooth move beneath her hand and realized it was not her pet.
"To my horror, I realized it wasn’t my dog," Bloor told the BBC.
550-POUND BEAR FINALLY EVICTED FROM CALIFORNIA HOME AFTER BIZARRE STRATEGY ENDS MONTHLONG ORDEAL
The 2.5-meter, or roughly 8-foot, snake had made its way into her bedroom Monday night, according to the report.
Bloor said she immediately woke her husband and asked him to turn on the lights.
"He goes, ‘Oh baby. Don’t move. There is like a 2.5-meter python on you,’" she recalled.
Her first concern, Bloor said, was getting the family dogs out of the room before anything escalated.
"I thought if my Dalmatian realized that there’s a snake there, it is gonna be carnage," she said.
After her husband removed the dogs, Bloor carefully worked her way out from beneath the covers.
"I sort of side shuffled out," she said.
Rather than calling a professional snake catcher, Bloor said she stayed calm and ushered the large reptile out of the bedroom herself through a window.
"I grabbed him," she said, adding that the python "didn’t seem overly freaked out."
"He sort of just wobbled in my hand," she said.
Bloor suspects the snake entered through plantation shutters on her window and crawled onto the bed while she slept.
"It was that big that even though it had been curled up on me, part of its tail was still out the shutter," she said.
FLORIDA WOMAN WINS ANNUAL PYTHON CHALLENGE WITH RECORD SNAKE HAUL
The snake was identified as a carpet python, a non-venomous constrictor commonly found in Australia’s coastal regions.
Despite the frightening encounter, Bloor said she was relieved it was not another animal.
"Toads freak me out," she said.
Snake catcher Kurt Whyte told ABC News that snake activity has increased with breeding season over and eggs beginning to hatch.
"Obviously, with this hot weather, we’re seeing plenty of them getting out and about and basking in this sun," Whyte said.
Whyte added that while snake populations have not necessarily increased, sightings are becoming more common as housing developments expand into Australian bushland.
"They have got to find places to live, and our backyards are offering the perfect habitat," he said.
He warned that common household features could provide easy access for snakes seeking shelter.
"Unfortunately, the gaps in our garage doors… provide the perfect entry points for a snake," Whyte said.
Iran’s supreme leader acknowledges thousands killed as Trump calls for new leadership: reports
Iran’s supreme leader has publicly acknowledged for the first time that thousands of people were killed during recent anti-government protests, according to reporting from the BBC, as President Donald Trump escalated his rhetoric and called for new leadership in Iran.
Ayatollah Ali Khamenei made the remarks during a public address Saturday, blaming the U.S. for the unrest and violence and saying some protesters died "in an inhuman, savage manner," the BBC reported.
The protests, which began in late December over economic conditions, later expanded into calls for an end to Iran’s ruling system.
U.S.-based Iranian Human Rights Activists News Agency estimates that more than 3,000 people were killed over roughly three weeks of unrest, though Iranian authorities have not released an official death toll.
According to the BBC, nationwide internet shutdowns have made independent verification difficult, with connectivity dropping to roughly 2% of normal levels, citing data from cyber monitoring group NetBlocks.
A 'TEAR DOWN THE WALL' MOMENT IN IRAN WILL DAMAGE BOTH THE ISLAMIC REPUBLIC — AND CHINA
Videos authenticated by BBC Persian and BBC Verify show Iranian security forces firing on demonstrators during the unrest.
Trump told Politico on Saturday that "it’s time to look for new leadership in Iran," after being read a series of hostile posts from Khamenei’s X account accusing the president of responsibility for the violence.
"What he is guilty of, as the leader of a country, is the complete destruction of the country and the use of violence at levels never seen before," Trump said, according to Politico. "Leadership is about respect, not fear and death."
TOP IRANIAN GENERAL THREATENS TO 'CUT OFF' TRUMP'S HAND OVER POTENTIAL MILITARY STRIKES
Trump went further in personal terms, telling Politico, "The man is a sick man who should run his country properly and stop killing people."
"His country is the worst place to live anywhere in the world because of poor leadership," Trump added.
Trump has previously urged Iranians to continue protesting and "take over institutions," saying that "help is on its way," according to Politico. The president later said he had been informed that the killings had stopped.
"The best decision he ever made was not hanging more than 800 people two days ago," Trump told Politico, when asked about the scope of potential U.S. military action.
In a series of posts on X posts, Khamenei accused Trump of responsibility for the violence, writing, "We find the US President guilty due to the casualties, damages and slander he inflicted upon the Iranian nation."
In another post, Khamenei claimed that "America's goal is to devour Iran."
Trump has said in recent days he was looking at "very strong options" including possible military involvement.
The State Department did not immediately respond to Fox News Digital's request for comment.
Protests explode in Greenland amid Trump takeover push: 'We are not interested in being Americans'
Protests erupted in Greenland on Saturday as demonstrators rejected pressure from President Donald Trump to take over the Arctic island, with protesters chanting that Greenland is "not for sale" and saying they want to determine their own future, Reuters reported.
"We are not interested in being Americans," one protester said in video during demonstrations in the Greenlandic capital, Nuuk.
The protests followed Trump’s renewed push to acquire Greenland, including a Truth Social post made Saturday in which he announced new tariffs on several European countries unless a deal is reached for the island's purchase by the U.S.
In the post, Trump wrote that Denmark and other European nations would face a 10% tariff beginning Feb. 1, rising to 25% on June 1, and said the tariffs would remain in place "until such time as a Deal is reached for the Complete and Total purchase of Greenland."
TRUMP'S GREENLAND TAKEOVER WOULD LIKELY ENTAIL ENORMOUS PRICE TAG: REPORT
Some demonstrators wore red baseball caps styled after the "Make America Great Again" (MAGA) hats worn by Trump supporters, but with the slogan "Make America Go Away."
In Nuuk, thousands of protesters led by Prime Minister Jens-Frederik Nielsen marched toward the U.S. consulate carrying flags and banners while chanting "Kalaallit Nunaat," the island’s name in Greenlandic, according to Reuters. Nielsen addressed the crowd outside the consulate, drawing loud cheers.
"I’ve come here today because I think it’s important to show that Greenland is not for sale. It is not a toy. This is our home," Naja Holm, a civil servant, told Reuters.
NATO AMBASSADOR SAYS EUROPE 'HAS A TENDENCY TO OVERREACT' OVER GREENLAND DISPUTE
Trump has said Greenland is vital to U.S. national security because of its strategic Arctic location and mineral resources, and has warned that China and Russia are seeking influence on the island. He has argued that U.S. control would strengthen Western security in the region.
The dispute has drawn sharp reaction from European leaders.
Sweden’s prime minister said Europe would not be "blackmailed," while French President Emmanuel Macron warned that tariff threats were unacceptable and said Europe would respond in a united and coordinated manner in an X post.
"No intimidation nor threat will influence us, neither in Ukraine, nor in Greenland, nor anywhere else in the world when we are confronted with such situations," wrote Macron in an X post. "Tariff threats are unacceptable and have no place in this context. Europeans will respond to them in a united and coordinated manner if they were to be confirmed."
Prime Minister David van Weel of the Netherlands also took to social media in response.
"We have taken note of President Trump’s announcement on tariffs," van Weel wrote. "Military efforts related to exercises in Greenland are intended to contribute to security in the Arctic region. The Netherlands is in close contact with the @EU_Commission and partners on our response."
Greenland is a semi-autonomous territory of Denmark with a population of about 57,000.
All political parties represented in Greenland’s parliament support eventual independence, but they differ on timing and have said they would prefer to remain part of Denmark rather than become part of the U.S., Reuters reported.
US strike eliminates al Qaeda operative connected to ISIS ambush that killed 3 Americans in Syria
U.S. Central Command (CENTCOM) announced on Saturday a leader affiliated with al Qaeda, who had direct ties to an ISIS terrorist responsible for killing two U.S. service members and an American interpreter on Dec. 13, was killed in a U.S. strike in northwest Syria on Friday.
CENTCOM officials said Bilal Hasan al-Jasim was an experienced terrorist leader who plotted attacks and was "directly connected" with the ISIS gunman who killed and injured American and Syrian personnel last month in Palmyra, Syria.
"The death of a terrorist operative linked to the deaths of three Americans demonstrates our resolve in pursuing terrorists who attack our forces," said CENTCOM commander Adm. Brad Cooper. "There is no safe place for those who conduct, plot, or inspire attacks on American citizens and our warfighters. We will find you."
CENTCOM launched large-scale strikes in Syria in response to the Dec. 13 attack.
Operation Hawkeye Strike resulted in U.S. and partner forces hitting more than 100 ISIS infrastructure and weapons site targets with over 200 precision munitions.
More than 300 ISIS operatives were captured and more than 20 were killed across Syria within the past year, according to CENTCOM.
U.S. Special Envoy for Syria Tom Barrack met with Syrian President Ahmed al-Sharaa, Foreign Minister Asaad al-Shaibani, and members of their team in Damascus on Jan. 10 to discuss recent developments in Aleppo and the broader path forward for Syria’s historic transition.
TRUMP ATTENDS SOLEMN DIGNIFIED TRANSFER FOR IOWA GUARDSMEN, CIVILIAN KILLED IN SYRIA ISIS ATTACK
In a statement on X, Barrack said President Donald Trump agreed to lift sanctions in order to "give Syria a chance" to move forward.
"The United States Government welcomes Syria’s historic transition and extends its support to the Syrian government under President Ahmed al-Sharaa as it works to stabilize the country, rebuild national institutions, and fulfill the aspirations of all Syrians for peace, security, and prosperity," Barrack wrote in the post.
REPUBLICAN SENATOR CONDEMNS ALLEGED SYRIAN ARMY ABUSES AS CEASEFIRE FOLLOWS ALEPPO FIGHTING
He added Syrian government has reaffirmed its commitment to the March 2025 integration agreement with the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF), but called developments in Aleppo that "appear to challenge the terms of this agreement," deeply concerning.
"We urge all parties to exercise maximum restraint, immediately cease hostilities, and return to dialogue in accordance with the March 10 and April 1, 2025 agreements between the Syrian government and the SDF," Barrack wrote. "Violence risks undermining the progress achieved since the fall of the Assad regime and invites external interference that serves no party’s interests. … The objective remains a sovereign, unified Syria—at peace with itself and its neighbors—where equality, justice, and opportunity are extended to all its people."
US troops pull out of major Iraq airbase amid ongoing regional consolidation effort, progress against ISIS
U.S. troops have pulled out of Ain al-Asad Airbase in Iraq, Fox News has learned.
The withdrawal from the base, which is part of an ongoing effort to consolidate troops in the region that was announced last fall, was completed by Friday, U.S. Central Command (CENTCOM) sources told Fox News.
"We're able to consolidate because of the significant progress made there — ISIS in Iraq doesn't pose a threat beyond Iraq's capacity to handle on their own," a U.S. official told Fox News. The officials added that it speaks to "our success in rooting out the ISIS threat in Iraq and Iraqi forces' willingness and progress in standing on their own."
The official added that U.S. forces are consolidating outside of federal Iraqi territory, meaning they’re concentrating forces elsewhere to focus on engaging remnants of ISIS in Syria.
ARMED KURDISH FIGHTERS TRY TO BREACH IRAN BORDER AS REGIONAL THREAT GROWS AMID PROTESTS: REPORTS
The move comes as CENTCOM is calling for cooperation and teamwork among Syrian partners in coordination with American forces to combat ISIS.
"We welcome ongoing efforts by all parties in Syria to prevent escalation and pursue resolution through dialogue. We also urge Syrian government forces to cease any offensive actions in areas between Aleppo and al-Tabqa. Aggressively pursuing ISIS and relentlessly applying military pressure requires teamwork among Syrian partners and coordination with U.S. and coalition forces. A Syria at peace with itself and its neighbors is essential to peace and stability across the region," Adm. Brad Cooper, CENTCOM commander, said in a statement posted on X.
The statement appeared to be a call for additional coordination in countering ISIS rather than a warning to Damascus.
On Jan. 10, CENTCOM announced that the U.S., alongside partner forces, conducted large-scale strikes against ISIS targets in Syria.
According to CENTCOM, the strikes were part of Operation Hawkeye Strike, which was announced on Dec. 19, 2025 at the direction of President Donald Trump. The operation was launched "in direct response to the deadly ISIS attack on U.S. and Syrian forces in Palmyra, Syria," CENTCOM said in a statement.
DEADLY STRIKE ON US TROOPS TESTS TRUMP’S COUNTER-ISIS PLAN — AND HIS TRUST IN SYRIA’S NEW LEADER
The Jan. 10 strikes came as U.S. Special Envoy for Syria Tom Barrack said he met in Damascus with Syria’s new leadership to discuss the country’s future.
"Today, on behalf of President Donald J. Trump and Secretary of State Marco Rubio, I met with Syrian President Ahmed al-Sharaa, Foreign Minister Asaad al-Shaibani, and members of their team in Damascus," Barrack wrote on X.
Barrack said the talks focused on "recent developments in Aleppo and the broader path forward for Syria’s historic transition," adding that the United States "welcomes Syria’s historic transition and extends its support to the Syrian government under President Ahmed al-Sharaa."
US ANNOUNCES MORE MILITARY ACTIONS AGAINST ISIS: 'WE WILL NOT RELENT'
War Secretary Pete Hegseth announced the launch of Operation Hawkeye Strike back in December, saying it was in response to an attack on U.S. forces in Syria that occurred on Dec. 13. Hegseth said the actions were "not the beginning of a war" but rather "a declaration of vengeance."
"Earlier today, U.S. forces commenced OPERATION HAWKEYE STRIKE in Syria to eliminate ISIS fighters, infrastructure, and weapons sites in direct response to the attack on U.S. forces that occurred on December 13th in Palmyra, Syria," Hegseth wrote on X.
On Dec. 19, American military forces employed more than 100 precision munitions to strike more than 70 targets of suspected ISIS sites at several locations across the ancient city of Palmyra in central Syria.
Trump previously vowed revenge on the terror group after the soldiers — Sgt. Edgar Brian Torres-Tovar, 25, of Des Moines, Iowa, and Sgt. William Nathaniel Howard, 29, of Marshalltown, Iowa — and interpreter Ayad Mansoor Sakat of Michigan — were killed while conducting a key leader engagement, part of their mission in support of ongoing counter-ISIS/counter-terrorism operations in the region.
The gunman was killed by partner forces.
"Because of ISIS’s vicious killing of brave American Patriots in Syria, whose beautiful souls I welcomed home to American soil earlier this week in a very dignified ceremony, I am hereby announcing that the United States is inflicting very serious retaliation, just as I promised, on the murderous terrorists responsible," he wrote on Truth Social on Dec. 19.
Fox News Digital's Jasmine Baehr and Louis Casiano, and Fox News' Lucas Tomlinson contributed to this report.
Lindsey Graham speaks against pending execution of 26-year-old Iranian protester: 'This regime must fall'
Sen. Lindsey Graham, R-S.C., is calling for the end of the Iranian regime amid ongoing protests and as the country holds its breath to see if a 26-year-old protester will be executed, something President Donald Trump has said could trigger U.S. intervention.
"I read with great sadness and heartache about the pending execution of Erfan Soltani, a 26-year-old shopkeeper. He is facing death at the hands of the ayatollah simply for protesting in the street for a better life. His family is calling on the world to come to their son’s aid," Graham wrote in a post on X along with an article about Soltani.
"I hope and pray that the execution does not go forward and this young man does not forfeit his life because he wants to live in freedom without fear," the senator added. "This regime must fall, and the Iranian people must have a better life."
Graham said that he believes if the regime falls and the "murderous ayatollah running Iran" is gone, the impact on the region "would be incredibly positive." He also warned, however, that if Iran's Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei were to remain in power, it would be "a giant step backward into the darkness."
Soltani's story has spread in recent days as the unrest in Iran continues. The 26-year-old was arrested in Fardis and was sentenced to death after an expedited trial, according to ABC News, which cited Soltani's second cousin, Somayeh.
"As someone who is an activist myself and who has fought this regime for many years, I felt it was my right — and my duty — to be Erfan's voice outside the country, despite all the pressure and sanctions that fall on families," Somayeh, who is based in Germany, told ABC News.
Iranians began protesting in late December amid worsening economic conditions. Earlier this month, the regime instituted a nationwide internet blackout, blocking demonstrators from contacting each other or the outside world amid international fears that protesters would be met with violence and death.
On Jan. 2, just days after the protests erupted, Trump said the U.S. was "locked and loaded" and ready to take action if the regime used violence against demonstrators. One day after the threat was made, the U.S. captured Venezuelan dictator Nicolás Maduro, adding weight to Trump's words, though no known action has been taken yet.
Trump claimed on Wednesday the administration was told "on good authority" that the killing in Iran had stopped.
"We've been told that the killing in Iran is stopping, and it's stopped and stopping, and there's no plan for executions or an execution," Trump said in the Oval Office. "So, I've been told that on good authority. We'll find out about it."
On Friday, he seemed to double down on the idea that the regime had stopped using violence when he issued a Truth Social post saying that Iran had cancelled over 800 scheduled hangings.
"I greatly respect the fact that all scheduled hangings, which were to take place yesterday (over 800 of them), have been cancelled by the leadership of Iran," Trump wrote on Truth Social.
The fate of Soltani remains unclear, as does the prospect of U.S. intervention in Iran.
Former Iranian prisoners reveal torture horrors as regime kills protesters on sight during crackdown
As protests spread across Iran and security forces intensify their crackdown, former political prisoners are warning that what is visible on the streets represents only a fraction of the violence unfolding behind prison walls.
In interviews with Fox News Digital, three former detainees described a system designed not just to punish dissent, but to break it through solitary confinement, beatings, medical neglect and threats of execution. Their accounts span nearly two decades, from the 2009 uprising to the "Woman, Life, Freedom" movement and the current wave of unrest, pointing to what they describe as a consistent and escalating pattern of abuse.
Maryam Shariatmadari, one of the faces of the "Girls of Revolution Street" protests against Iran’s mandatory hijab laws, was sentenced to one year in prison in March 2018 for what authorities described as "encouraging corruption by removing her hijab."
IRANIAN STUDENT SHOT IN HEAD AT CLOSE RANGE AMID PROTESTS, BODY BURIED ALONG ROADSIDE
Speaking this week, Shariatmadari said the scale of the current protests has pushed the regime beyond its capacity to detain demonstrators.
"According to the testimonies of eyewitnesses, the suppressive forces of the Islamic Republic … are delivering ‘final shots’ to wounded protesters, killing them on the spot," she said. "This has been unprecedented over the past 47 years and indicates that the number of detainees has become so large that the Islamic Republic no longer has the capacity to hold them and is killing them without any form of trial."
She said that while detainees in earlier uprisings were transferred to prisons or unofficial "safe houses," authorities expanded detention during the 2022 "Woman, Life, Freedom" protests to schools, ambulances and food transport vehicles.
"They used ambulances and food transport vehicles to detain protesters, something I believe to be unprecedented in human history," Shariatmadari said.
IRAN PROTESTS SPARK REGIME SURVIVAL QUESTION AS EXILED DISSIDENT SAYS IT FEELS LIKE A ‘REVOLUTION’
Inside detention facilities, she described systematic abuse.
"These include beatings, transfers to prisons without separation based on the type of offense, and the deliberate incitement of other inmates to harass and abuse us," she said.
One of her most traumatic experiences occurred during interrogation.
"I was ordered to remove my clothes and remain completely naked for a body search while cameras were present," Shariatmadari said. "I knew that men were watching me, and I could hear their voices."
She also recalled being denied urgent medical care after an injury.
"Only after approximately 24 hours was I taken to a hospital to undergo surgery," she said. "I believe this happened as a result of media pressure and public support."
IRAN FLIPS ‘KILL SWITCH’ TO HIDE ALLEGED CRIMES AS DEATH TOLL RISES AMID PROTESTS
Shariatmadari’s husband, Mehdi Ghadimi, a freelance journalist who worked with reformist newspapers Etemad and Shargh, was arrested in January 2023 during protests and taken to an undisclosed location. He spent nearly his entire detention in solitary confinement.
"I was interrogated twice daily, morning and afternoon, for eight hours with my eyes blindfolded," Ghadimi said.
In the final days of his detention, he was transferred to a shared cell, where he encountered detainees from across Iranian society.
"I encountered students, workers, technical specialists and others who had been arrested during the Woman, Life, Freedom movement," he said.
According to Ghadimi, detainees accused of supporting the Pahlavi dynasty were beaten more severely.
"Because their slogans and symbols supported the Pahlavi dynasty, they were beaten far more than the others," he said.
Based on his experience, he warned that current detainees are likely to face even harsher treatment.
"I can only imagine that this time all detainees will face similarly brutal treatment," Ghadimi said, adding that Iran’s judiciary chief has publicly signaled a hard line.
Ghadimi, who fled the country in 2024, also cited figures circulating among activists claiming well over the 2,600 reported, likely dwarfing that number. He said the number of detainees is likely far higher than the 10,000 reported.
IRAN REGIME SAID TO UNLEASH HEZBOLLAH AND IRAQI MILITIAS AS UPRISING SPREADS
Shabnam Madadzadeh, who was imprisoned during the 2009 uprising, said watching the current protests has revived memories of extreme brutality and raised fears of mass executions.
"What immediately comes to my mind is the regime’s sheer brutality in torture and killing," Madadzadeh said.
She said detention facilities were already overflowing during the 2009 protests.
"There was no space left for detainees. Even the solitary cells were overflowing with people," she said.
Madadzadeh recalled interrogators accusing nearly everyone arrested of links to the Mujahedin-e Khalq and described torture and beatings "to the point of killing."
One threat made to her during interrogation still haunts her.
"He told me: ‘If we are going to be overthrown, we will kill all of you. We will leave no one alive,’" she said.
She warned that the current internet blackout has heightened the danger for detainees.
"We truly do not know what level of brutality is currently taking place inside the prisons," Madadzadeh said, adding that information reaching her suggests the regime is seeking to carry out executions quickly.
Citing Iran’s past, she warned of the risk of mass killings similar to the 1988 executions of political prisoners.
"Today, at a moment when the regime is on the brink of collapse, there is a real danger that such a massacre could be repeated," she said.
Madadzadeh said young detainees are likely facing forced confessions, mock executions and threats of sexual violence.
"Whatever I do to you, no one will hear your voice," an interrogator once told her, she recalled.
She also emphasized the suffering of families searching for loved ones.
"Families are moving between detention centers, prisons, morgues and cemeteries," she said. "This uncertainty itself is the greatest form of torture."
As the protests continue, all three former prisoners said the outside world must not look away.
IRANIAN REGIME TARGETING STARLINK USERS IN BID TO SQUASH LEAKING PROTEST FOOTAGE
"The first thing I expect the free world to understand is the true voice of the people inside Iran," Shariatmadari said. "The people of Iran are united in their demand for regime change and want to restore Iran to its former dignity, a dignity in which human rights and human worth were respected."
Ghadimi echoed that warning.
"Without a doubt, when the regime displays such open violence in the streets, even worse atrocities occur behind prison walls," he said. "I can only imagine that this time all detainees will face similarly brutal treatment."
For Madadzadeh, the danger is immediate.
"The world must respond decisively to this brutality," she said. "Every minute of delay costs lives."
She called for concrete international action.
"Force the regime to allow independent visits to prisons and to the secret detention centers run by the IRGC and the Ministry of Intelligence," Madadzadeh said. "Lives depend on it."
Together, their testimonies paint a stark picture of Iran’s prisons as the hidden front line of repression and a warning that what remains unseen may be even more deadly than what is already visible in the streets.
Trump announces escalating tariffs on Denmark and other European nations to force Greenland purchase deal
President Donald Trump announced the United States would impose 10% tariffs on multiple European countries unless Denmark agrees to the "complete and total purchase of Greenland," warning that global security and U.S. national defense were at stake.
Trump made the announcement in a lengthy Truth Social post on Saturday, arguing that the U.S. has subsidized Denmark and other European Union nations for decades by failing to charge tariffs and providing what he described as "maximum protection."
"We have subsidized Denmark, and all of the Countries of the European Union, and others, for many years by not charging them Tariffs, or any other forms of remuneration," Trump wrote.
TRUMP TAPS REPUBLICAN GOVERNOR TO SERVE AS SPECIAL ENVOY TO GREENLAND
"Now, after Centuries, it is time for Denmark to give back — World Peace is at stake!"
Trump wrote that both China and Russia want Greenland and he said there was "not a thing that Denmark can do about it."
"They currently have two dogsleds as protection, one added recently. Only the United States of America, under PRESIDENT DONALD J. TRUMP, can play in this game, and very successfully, at that!" Trump wrote.
"Nobody will touch this sacred piece of Land, especially since the National Security of the United States, and the World at large, is at stake."
Trump said that Denmark, Norway, Sweden, France, Germany, the United Kingdom, the Netherlands and Finland have "journeyed" to Greenland, for "purposes unknown," posing a very dangerous situation for the safety, security and survival of our planet.
EUROPEAN ALLIES WORKING ON PLAN IF US ACTS ON ACQUIRING GREENLAND: REPORT
"All of the above-mentioned Countries… will be charged a 10% Tariff on any and all goods sent to the United States of America," Trump wrote.
On June 1, 2026, the tariff will be increased to 25%, he said.
"This Tariff will be due and payable until such time as a Deal is reached for the Complete and Total purchase of Greenland."
In recent weeks, Trump has zeroed in on Greenland, the world’s largest island at a strategic crossroads in the Arctic, and floated the idea of tariffs being imposed on Friday.
A semi-autonomous territory of Denmark, Greenland is home to a crucial U.S. military base and has taken on growing strategic importance as melting ice opens new shipping lanes and access to a wealth of natural resources.
In his Saturday post, Trump said the United States has tried to purchase Greenland for more than 150 years but that Denmark has repeatedly refused.
He tied the push to modern weapons systems and the "Golden Dome," saying hundreds of billions of dollars are being spent on related security programs and that the system can only work at maximum efficiency if Greenland is included.
"The United States of America is immediately open to negotiation with Denmark and/or any of these countries that have put so much at risk, despite all that we have done for them, including maximum protection, over so many decades," Trump wrote. "Thank you for your attention to this matter!"
Trump’s remarks come as his administration awaits a Supreme Court ruling on whether some of the tariffs he imposed in 2025 were legal.
Fox News' Amanda Macias contributed to this report.
Khamenei calls Trump a ‘criminal,’ blames him for deadly protests sweeping Iran
Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei on Saturday lashed out at President Donald Trump, labeling him a "criminal" and accusing the U.S. of orchestrating unrest that has erupted into the deadliest protests in decades.
"The latest anti-Iran sedition was different in that the U.S. President personally became involved," Iranian media quoted Khamenei as saying, per Reuters.
The statement is the latest Iranian government rhetoric blaming the U.S. for contributing to instability in Iran, with Tehran singling out Trump as a central figure in what it calls foreign-driven unrest. The regime has also been pointing fingers at Israel.
Protests have raged in Iran since late December, initially over economic problems but rapidly expanding into widespread anti-regime demonstrations. Demonstrators have been met with severe crackdowns by security forces.
TOP IRANIAN GENERAL THREATENS TO 'CUT OFF' TRUMP'S HAND OVER POTENTIAL MILITARY STRIKES
Human rights groups say thousands of protesters have been killed in the unrest. Reports from various groups say Khamenei was responsible for a crackdown that killed thousands of protesters. The U.S.-based Human Rights Activists in Iran on Friday put the death toll at 3,090.
The number, which exceeds that of any other round of protest or unrest in Iran in decades and recalls the chaos surrounding the 1979 revolution, continues to rise.
Meanwhile, Iranian opposition figure Reza Pahlavi told Bret Baier on "Special Report" on Monday that a minimum of 12,000 people were dead.
Trump has expressed support for Iranian protesters and talked about regime change, while some Republican lawmakers have openly urged Trump to consider military action.
The president said on Tuesday that he cut off meetings with the Iranian regime, saying there would be no contact until the government stops killing protesters. He also urged the Iranian people to "take over" the country.
When asked if Arab and Israeli officials "convinced" him to not strike Iran, Trump told reporters Friday that he convinced himself and cited the canceled hangings.
Trump also expressed similar sentiments on social media Friday.
"I greatly respect the fact that all scheduled hangings, which were to take place yesterday (Over 800 of them), have been canceled by the leadership of Iran. Thank you!" Trump said in a post on Truth Social on Friday.
It is unclear who Trump spoke to in Iran to confirm the state of any planned executions. The statement echoes what White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt told reporters Thursday about the canceled executions. She maintained that all options remained on the table when it comes to dealing with Iran.
"What I will say with respect to Iran is that the president and his team have communicated to the Iranian regime that if the killing continues, there will be grave consequences," Leavitt told reporters Thursday. "And the president received a message as he revealed to all of you and the whole world yesterday that the killing and the executions will stop. And the president understands today that 800 executions that were scheduled and supposed to take place yesterday were halted."
It’s unclear from Trump’s post if he was referring to the 800 executions that were already canceled or whether there have been two consecutive days when 800 executions have been called off.
Meanwhile, a sermon by Ayatollah Ahmad Khatami carried by Iranian state radio sparked chants from those gathered for prayers, including: "Armed hypocrites should be put to death!"
Khatami, a member of Iran’s Assembly of Experts and Guardian Council long known for his hardline views, described the protesters as the "butlers" of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and "Trump’s soldiers," according to The Associated Press.
He said Netanyahu and Trump should await "hard revenge from the system."
"Americans and Zionists should not expect peace," the cleric said.
Fox News Digital’s Benjamin Weinthal and Diana Stancy, as well as Reuters and The Associated Press contributed to this report.
