Tehran has warned neighbouring countries hosting U.S. troops that it would retaliate against American bases if Washington carries out threats to intervene in protests in Iran.
– Some personnel had been advised to leave the main U.S. air base in the region, although there were no immediate signs of a large-scale evacuation of troops as took place in the hours before an Iranian missile attack last year.
– Trump has threatened to intervene in support of protesters in Iran, where a rights group said 2,600 people have been killed in recent days in a crackdown on one of the biggest ever protest movements against clerical rule.
– Trump has decided to intervene, although the scope and timing of this action remains unclear, an Israeli official said.
– Some personnel had been advised to leave the U.S. military’s Al Udeid Air Base in Qatar by Wednesday evening.
– One of the diplomats described the move as a “posture change” rather than an “ordered evacuation”.
– There was no sign of a large-scale movement of troops off the base to a nearby soccer stadium and shopping mall, as took place last year in the hours before Iran targeted the base with missiles in retaliation for U.S. airstrikes on Iranian nuclear targets.
– Trump has been openly threatening to intervene in Iran for days, though without giving specifics.
– Trump vowed “very strong action” if Iran executes protesters. “If they hang them, you’re going to see some things,” he said.
– He also urged Iranians on Tuesday to keep protesting and take over institutions, declaring “help is on the way”.
– Tehran had asked U.S. allies in the region to “prevent Washington from attacking Iran”.
– Tehran has told regional countries, from Saudi Arabia and UAE to Turkey, that U.S. bases in those countries will be attacked” if the U.S. targets Iran.
– Direct contacts between Iran’s Foreign Minister Abbas Araqchi and U.S. Special Envoy Steve Witkoff had been suspended, reflecting mounting tensions.
– Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s security cabinet was briefed late on Tuesday about the chances of regime collapse or U.S. intervention in Iran.
– The United States has forces across the region including the forward headquarters of its Central Command at Al Udeid in Qatar and the headquarters of the U.S. Navy’s Fifth Fleet in Bahrain.
– Ali Larijani, had spoken to the foreign minister of Qatar and Araqchi had spoken to his Emirati and Turkish counterparts.
– Araqchi told UAE Foreign Minister Sheikh Abdullah bin Zayed that “calm has prevailed” and Iranians were determined to defend their sovereignty and security from any foreign interference.
– Iran’s chief justice said speed in judging and penalizing those “who beheaded or burned people” was critical to ensuring such events do not happen again.
– 18,137 arrests so far.
– A 26-year-old man, Erfan Soltani, arrested in connection with protests in the city of Karaj, was to be executed on Wednesday.
– It had not been able to confirm whether the sentence had been carried out.
– Trump has said military action is among the options he is weighing to punish Iran over the crackdown.
https://www.reuters.com/world/china/death-toll-iran-approaches-2600-rights-group-reports-2026-01-14