The U.S. is increasing its military presence in the Middle East as protests in Iran continue, with activists reporting a death toll of 5,002 following a crackdown on demonstrators. President Donald Trump stated that an “armada” is heading towards the region, while also asserting a desire to avoid military conflict.
Military Buildup
Speaking on Air Force One after returning from the World Economic Forum in Davos, Trump said, “We have a lot of ships going that direction, just in case. I’d rather not see anything happen, but we’re watching them very closely … we have an armada … heading in that direction, and maybe we won’t have to use it.” The aircraft carrier USS Abraham Lincoln and several guided-missile destroyers are expected to arrive in the Middle East in the coming days. Additional air defence systems are also being deployed, likely around U.S. and Israeli airbases.
The United Kingdom will send RAF Eurofighter Typhoon jets from 12 Squadron to Qatar, at Doha’s request.
Iran Protests and Crackdown
The U.S.-based Human Rights Activists News Agency (HRANA) reported on Friday that 5,002 people have died as a result of the Iranian government’s crackdown on protesters. This figure includes 4,716 demonstrators, 203 government-affiliated people, 43 children, and 40 civilians not involved in the protests. HRANA, which has accurately tracked unrest in Iran previously, also reported at least 26,541 arrests.
The protests began on December 28 when traders took to the streets in Tehran in response to a decline in the value of the rial. Demands expanded to include calls for an end to the government, marking the most serious and deadly unrest in Iran since the 1979 revolution.
Volker Türk, the UN commissioner for human rights, stated at an emergency session of the UN Human Rights Council in Geneva that thousands have been killed, including children, on the streets and in residential areas. He noted video evidence showing hundreds of bodies in morgues with fatal injuries to their heads and chests, alongside hundreds of security personnel deaths.
Türk urged Iran to “end their brutal repression,” including summary trials, and called for a moratorium on the death penalty. He expressed concern over statements from Iranian authorities regarding the potential execution of those detained.
International Response
Scott Bessent, the US treasury secretary, stated in Davos that US sanctions contributed to the protests, leading to economic collapse and unrest. He described this as “economic statecraft, no shots fired.”
Trump has left open the possibility of military action against Iran following Israel’s 12-day war in June aimed at degrading Iranian nuclear and ballistic missile programmes. However, the prospect of immediate action appears to have lessened, with both sides expressing a willingness to pursue diplomacy.
Ali Abdollahi Aliabadi, head of Iran’s Khatam-al Anbiya Central Headquarters, warned the U.S. on Thursday that any military strike on Iran would make all U.S. bases in the region “legitimate targets.”
Masoud Pezeshkian, the Iranian president, claimed that a conspiracy by those “who wish Iran ill will” turned a civil protest into a violent battle.
The protest movement has largely subsided due to the crackdown, which was accompanied by an unprecedented internet blackout, though chants of “death to the dictator” continue at funerals.
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