At a Glance
- 2,500 people have been killed in Iran’s crackdown over the last two weeks, human-rights groups say
- President Trump warns U.S. military action is possible while claiming Tehran is “easing up”
- North-Texas Iranians have lost contact with relatives after Iran cut internet and phone service on January 8
Why it matters: Local families fear executions after Iran’s judiciary vowed fast trials despite Trump’s plea.
Iranians living in North Texas are watching the spiraling violence in their homeland and waiting to see whether President Trump will order U.S. strikes after weeks of protests and bloodshed.
Hundreds of Troops Evacuated Amid Strike Threat
American forces are being pulled out of the region in anticipation of possible military action, according to information given to News Of Fort Worth. The evacuations come as Trump has repeatedly warned Tehran over its deadly response to nationwide demonstrations.
On Tuesday the president turned to social media to tell Iranian protesters that “help is coming.” A day later he offered a different tone, telling reporters that Iran’s government is “easing up” on its crackdown.
Local Advocate: “Head of the Snake Must Be Crushed”
Homeira Hesami, chairwoman of the non-profit Iranian American Community of North Texas, left Iran in the mid-1980s after she says she was jailed for expressing her beliefs.
“Iran’s regime is the head of the snake, and the head of the snake must be crushed,” Hesami told News Of Fort Worth.
Even after her release, she recalls, freedom was elusive:
- No job prospects
- Banned from university
- Constant surveillance
“I was outside prison, no job, no study, so you feel like you’re still in a bigger prison,” she said.
Families Cut Off Since January 8 Blackout
From her North-Texas home Hesami now advocates for friends and relatives she hasn’t been able to reach since Iranian authorities severed internet and international telephone calls on January 8.
“I’m really concerned. All of us are concerned because we don’t know what’s happening with the killing that we see,” she said.
Human-rights groups estimate that at least:
| Metric | Number |
|---|---|
| Deaths in two weeks | 2,500 |
| People detained | 18,000 |
Mixed Signals from Washington
President Trump said Wednesday he is in dialogue with Iranian officials and claimed they promised no executions. His comment followed a threat earlier in the week to intervene if the bloodshed continued.
“They said people were shooting at them with guns, and they were shooting back. And you know, it’s one of those things, but…they told me that there’ll be no executions, and so I hope that’s true,” the president said.
Hours later Iran’s judiciary head announced that fast trials and executions for detained protesters would proceed.
Dallas Rallies to Continue
Hesami, whose organization has held several North-Texas rallies, plans more demonstrations in Dallas to support what she calls a generation “fighting to change their fate.”
“It’s very heartbreaking to see the youth that are being slaughtered by the regime,” she said. “They just want freedom and democracy.”
