Iranians attend the funerals of security forces personnel killed in Tehran

A large crowd gathers during a mass funeral held for over 100 members of the security forces whom authorities said were killed during recent nationwide protests (Getty Images)Iranians attend the funerals of security forces personnel killed in recent protests in Tehran (AFP via Getty Images)

Alisha Rahaman Sarkar15 January 2026 07:40

Oil drops as Trump calms Iran fears

Oil prices retreated from multi-month highs today and gold eased from a record peak after US president Donald Trump calmed market anxiety over potential US military action against Iran.

A selloff in tech stocks extended into Asian trading, following declines on Wall Street, as investors rotated out of high-flying chip and artificial intelligence-related names while searching for bargains in other parts of the market.

Brent crude futures dropped 3.4 per cent to $64.25 and Nymex futures sank 3.4 per cent to $59.89, after vaulting as high as $66.82 and $62.36, respectively, in the previous session.

Mr Trump yesterday claimed that he had been told that killings in Iran’s crackdown on nationwide protests were subsiding and he believed there was currently no plan for large-scale executions.

Alisha Rahaman Sarkar15 January 2026 07:30

Who is Erfan Soltani?

Erfan Soltani,26, was arrested at his home and rushed through the justice system to face the death penalty on Wednesday as the regime steps up its brutal crackdown on dissent, according to the Hengaw Organisation for Human Rights, an independent NGO based in Norway.

Alisha Rahaman Sarkar15 January 2026 07:11

Middle East nations advise US to avoid Iran conflict, diplomat says

Major Middle East governments are discouraging the Donald Trump administration from waging a war with Iran, fearing “unprecedented consequences” in the volatile region, an Arab Gulf diplomat told The Associated Press.

The Cairo-based diplomat, who was given anonymity because he wasn’t authorised to speak to the media, said major governments in the region, including Turkey, Egypt, Saudi Arabia and Pakistan, have been “in constant contact” with the US administration over a potential American strike on Iran that could explode into a “full-blown war”.

Such a war will “certainly” have dire repercussions, not only on the Middle East but also on the global economy,” he said.

Alisha Rahaman Sarkar15 January 2026 07:00

Iran’s judiciary says Erfan Soltani will not be given death sentence

Erfan Soltani, a 26-year-old Iranian man arrested during protests, has not been sentenced to death, the country’s judiciary said, according to local media.

The judiciary said Mr Soltani, currently held in the central penitentiary of Karaj, is being charged with “colluding against the country’s internal security and propaganda activities against the regime” but that the death penalty does not apply to such charges if they are confirmed by a court.

Mr Soltani was arrested at his home and rushed through the justice system to face the death penalty on Wednesday as the regime steps up its brutal crackdown on dissent, according to the Hengaw Organisation for Human Rights, an independent NGO based in Norway.

He is among 18,434 individuals who have been arrested by Iranian authorities for joining the protests.

Alisha Rahaman Sarkar15 January 2026 06:57

Tens of thousands of mourners attend mass funeral in Tehran

Tens of thousands of mourners thronged the streets near Tehran University for a mass funeral of security forces and civilians.

Iranian state television reported that 300 coffins would be on display at Tehran University.

Many held Iranian flags and identical photos of Ayatollah Ali Khamenei and their relatives. The caskets, covered in Iranian flags, were stacked at least three high in the backs of trucks and covered with red and white roses and framed photographs of people who were killed. The crowd chanted and beat their chests in response to an emcee speaking from a stage.

One man in the crowd held up a photo of US president Donald Trump during the Pennsylvania assassination attempt, emblazoned with: “The arrow doesn’t always miss!”

The presenter, his voice booming across the crowd, blamed the US for the unrest.

“All of our problems are because of America, today’s economic problems are because of American sanctions. Death to America!” he yelled, prompting the same chant from the tens of thousands of people, dressed mostly in black.

Alisha Rahaman Sarkar15 January 2026 06:25

UN Security Council to hold emergency meeting on Iran

The UN Security Council will meet this afternoon to discuss the situation in Iran after the US requested an emergency meeting.

“I can now confirm that the [Security Council] presidency intends to schedule a briefing on the situation in Iran …. on Thursday … requested by the United States,” said Khadija Ahmed, the spokesperson for the Somali mission.

Alisha Rahaman Sarkar15 January 2026 06:00

‘No plans for executions’: Trump claims killings in Iran have stopped

‘No plans for executions’: Trump claims killings in Iran have stopped

Mike Bedigan15 January 2026 05:30

Airspace closure over Iran appears to have expired

An order by Iran closing its airspace to commercial aircraft appeared to have expired and several domestic flights were in the air just after 7am local time this morning.

The closure lasted for over four hours, during which time international carriers had diverted north and south around Iran.

Iran had also issued a notice to pilots stating that the closure was estimated to last until 7.30 am local time.

Alisha Rahaman Sarkar15 January 2026 05:25

Oil drops as Trump calms Iran fears

Oil prices retreated from multi-month highs on Thursday and safe-haven gold ​eased back from a record peak after U.S. President Donald Trump calmed market anxiety about potential U.S. military ‌action against Iran.

A selloff in tech stocks extended into Asian trading, after further declines on Wall Street as investors rotated out of high-flying chip- and artificial intelligence-related names, looking for bargains in other parts of the market.

Trump said on Wednesday afternoon that he had been told that ‍killings in Iran’s crackdown on nationwide protests were subsiding and he believed there was currently no plan for large-scale executions.

Reuters15 January 2026 05:01