Iran Protester 26 To Be Executed Today, Only 10 Minutes To Say Goodbye To Family

14th January 2026 at 4:06 PM

2 minutes read

Tehran : The family of 26-year-old Iranian Erfan Soltani, detained during anti-Khamenei protests, did not know where he was. Days later, a word came from the security apparatus of the regime of Ayatollah Ali Khamenei. Erfan Soltani, the 26-year-old Iranian detained during anti-Khamanei protests on January 8, is scheduled to be executed early on Wednesday (January 14), according to news reports.

Now understandably frightened and terrorised, have been warned not to speak to anyone, with authorities threatening that more family members would be arrested if they did so. Soltani’s execution, carried out within a week of his arrest, has triggered international alarm, with legal experts warning that Iran might be resorting to what amount to “field executions”. They say such summary killings without due process are being used to crush dissent.

The protests, in their 20th day on Wednesday, were initially triggered by record inflation and the sharp devaluation of Iran’s currency, but have since snowballed into nationwide unrest across more than 280 locations. At least 2,000 people have reportedly been killed in the Khamenei regime’s brutal crackdown, with around 20,000 arrested. Internet services have been shut for over five days, with reports of mass killings emerging from inside Iran.

The meeting was explicitly described to them as a final farewell before the execution. A source close to the family, speaking to the IranWire on condition of anonymity, described the pressure being exerted on them by the Iranian government. The family is under extreme pressure. Even a close relative who is a lawyer tried to take on the case but was blocked and threatened by security agents. They told him, ‘There is no file to review.

The IRGC is Iran’s most feared security force, directly loyal to Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei. It is tasked with enforcing ideological conformity, crushing dissent, controlling key sectors of the economy, and projecting the regime’s power at home and abroad. Lebanese-Australian entrepreneur and influencer Mario Nawfal posted about Soltani on X from his verified account, saying the execution could be the first of many, alleging that authorities were using fear to control crowds.

He told his family he was being watched, but he refused to back down,” the source said. “He remained committed to the protests. Experts and Iran watchers say the timeline described by authorities is legally impossible under Iran’s own criminal code. Human rights lawyer Mohammad Oliaifard told IranWire that it was “legally impossible to arrest someone and execute them within three days”.