The US Embassy in Qatar is advising its employees and Americans in the emirate to avoid non-essential trips to the Al-Udeid military base in view of the tense situation in the region. This is the largest US military base in the Middle East and would probably play a key role in a possible conflict with Iran. The US Embassy stated that the personnel situation at the diplomatic mission currently remains unchanged and that consular services will also continue to be offered.
Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi has denied plans to execute protesters. “There is no plan at all for executions,” the foreign minister said in an interview with US broadcaster Fox News on Wednesday. “Hanging is out of the question.” There will be no executions by hanging “neither today nor tomorrow.” He also claimed that Tehran was in “full control” of the situation in Iran “after three days of terrorist operations” orchestrated by Israel.
Previously, US President Donald Trump had threatened that he would take very strong measures if Iran began hanging protesters. Trump later said he had been told the killings were easing and no mass executions were planned.
There have been massive protests in Iran over the past two weeks against the leadership of the Islamic Republic, which has existed since 1979. The authorities took brutal action against the demonstrators. The human rights organization Iran Human Rights (IHR) assumes that at least 3,428 demonstrators have been killed so far. More than 10,000 people were arrested in the course of the mass protests.
In view of the situation in Iran, several Western countries have asked their citizens to leave the country and restricted air traffic. Italy and Poland called on their citizens to leave Iran. Britain temporarily closed its embassy in Tehran. The US withdrew some of its military personnel from bases in the Middle East on Wednesday.
The federal government warned German airlines, whereupon Lufthansa announced that it would fly around Iranian and Iraqi airspace (read more here). Iran itself temporarily closed its airspace to most flights.
