The Middle East enters a dangerous phase as questions mount over Iran’s protest death toll, disputed claims of ongoing executions, and fresh military signalling across the region. With Israeli readiness reports unconfirmed and the UK deploying fighter jets to the Gulf, this edition of World News with Pankaj Mishra tracks how repression, deterrence, and strategic messaging are colliding… raising the risk of wider escalation.
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#WorldNews
#MiddleEastCrisis
#IranProtests
#IranDeathToll
#ExecutionsDisputed
#IsraelOnAlert
#UKDeploysJets
#GlobalSecurity
#Geopolitics
#BreakingNews
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NewsTranscript
00:00Good evening. This is world news. Tonight, the fog of war and repression deepens across
00:08the Middle East, from disputed death tolls inside Iran to executions that may be still
00:14underway, to military signals, some confirmed, some denied, that suggest the region is edging
00:20close to a wider confrontation. We begin tonight with Iran, where the protests may have faded,
00:26but the accounting of the dead is only getting louder.
00:31Now, the streets of Iran have fallen largely silent after weeks of nationwide unrest.
00:36But silence does not mean closure. What remains fiercely contested is the number of people killed
00:42in the crackdown. Official figures are scarce. Independent verification is difficult. And a
00:48sweeping internet blackout has made transparency almost impossible. Human rights groups now warn
00:54the real death toll could be far higher than what the world has been told.
01:00What if tens of thousands of people were killed and most of the world never saw it happen?
01:08More evidence is now emerging from Iran that the recent crackdown on nationwide protests may
01:14have left over 20,000 people dead.
01:17A figure that, if confirmed, would mark one of the deadliest episodes in the country's modern
01:24history. For weeks, much of this remained hidden behind a near-total internet blackout. But fragments
01:33are starting to break through. Since protests erupted late last year, security forces have responded
01:41with what human rights groups describe as extreme and coordinated force.
01:47With communication restricted, information has trickled out through doctors, families,
01:52and journalists operating outside the country, often at great personal risk to those inside Iran.
02:01According to the UN Special Rapporteur on Human Rights in Iran, medical reports from inside the country
02:08suggest the death toll could be far higher than previously believed, potentially exceeding 20,000 people.
02:17Independent organizations paint a grim picture. A US-based human rights group says it has already
02:24verified nearly 5,000 deaths while reviewing thousands more suspected fatalities.
02:31At the same time, more than 26,000 people have reportedly been arrested.
02:38Iran's government has issued its own figures, acknowledging just over 3,000 deaths, including
02:46members of the security forces, but without clearly stating how many civilians were killed.
02:52The difference between these numbers raises serious questions. As more accounts surface,
02:57the statistics turn into faces.
02:59In the southern city of Shiraz, a flower shop owner reportedly sheltered protesters inside his store.
03:10Witnesses say that after the street appeared calm, he opened his door, only to be shot in the neck by security forces.
03:18In another case, a 19-year-old wrestler was reportedly killed by sniper fire during protests.
03:24His burial took place before dawn, under government supervision. No public funeral was allowed.
03:32His family was later warned not to speak.
03:36These stories are becoming increasingly common. Sources inside Iran say hospitals and morgars are under intense security.
03:45Some report shortages of body bags, bodies stored in hallways, and families blocked from accessing medical records.
03:57They say details about the dead are being restricted, possibly to prevent the real scale of the killings from becoming public.
04:04With communications still limited, the full extent of what has happened across Iran may not be known for weeks or may never be fully documented.
04:15But as more evidence emerges, one thing is becoming clearer.
04:19This was not isolated violence. It was widespread, it was systematic, and it may have claimed tens of thousands of lives.
04:28The world is only beginning to uncover what happened.
04:35Did Iran halt executions of protesters, or was that a claim that was misleading?
04:41Iranian refugees with contacts inside the country say the killings have not stopped.
04:47They describe survivors, mass shootings, and the involvement of multiple state forces, including elite units.
04:54And now the White House says it is watching closely with a warning that all options remain on the table.
05:01Did Donald Trump stop a mass execution in Iran? Or did he claim credit for something that never happened?
05:11Because Iran's top prosecutor is now calling Trump's story completely false.
05:16Over the past week, President Trump repeatedly claimed that Iran had halted the execution of 800 detained protesters, suggesting U.S. pressure forced Tehran to back down.
05:28It was a powerful claim. It sounded like a breakthrough.
05:32Election in Venezuela.
05:33Did Arab and Israeli officials convince you to not strike Iran?
05:37Nobody convinced me. I convinced myself. You had yesterday scheduled over 800 hangings.
05:44They didn't hang anyone. They canceled the hangings. That had a big impact.
05:48We've been told that the killing in Iran is stopping. It's stopped. It's stopping.
05:54And there's no plan for executions or an execution or executions.
06:00So I've been told that a good authority will find out about it.
06:03I'm sure if it happens, we'll all be very upset, including you will be very upset.
06:10But that's just gotten to me some information that the killing has stopped, that the executions have stopped.
06:18They're not going to have an execution, which a lot of people were talking about for the last couple of days.
06:23Today was going to be the day of execution.
06:26But on Friday, Iran's judiciary publicly shut it down.
06:30Iran's top prosecutor, Mohammad Moahedi, said there was no such decision, no list of 800 prisoners,
06:38and no executions that were stopped because of U.S. intervention.
06:42His message was blunt. Iran does not take orders from foreign powers.
06:47And according to him, Trump's claim simply isn't true.
06:51Moahedi hinted that the figure may have come from Iran's foreign ministry, raising serious questions.
06:57Was Trump given bad intelligence? Did he misunderstand diplomatic messaging?
07:03Or did he exaggerate a claim to project leverage?
07:06Trump has never explained the source of the number.
07:09While officials trade statements, activists say the situation inside Iran is getting worse.
07:15According to UN Special Rapporteur on Human Rights in Iran,
07:19at least 20,000 people have been killed in the government's crackdown on nationwide protests.
07:26And those numbers are likely incomplete.
07:28Iran is now under what activists describe as the most comprehensive internet blackout in its history,
07:35entering its third week, making verification dangerous and difficult.
07:40Despite denying Trump's claim, Iran's judiciary continues to label detainees as moharib or enemies of God.
07:48That charge carries the death penalty. It was used during mass executions in 1988 that killed thousands,
07:56making fears of future executions very real.
08:00So if executions were never halted, the danger hasn't passed.
08:04At the same time, the U.S. military is quietly escalating its posture.
08:09An American aircraft carrier strike group has moved into the Indian Ocean.
08:14Trump says it's just in case. Analysts say it gives him the option to strike without committing to it.
08:20You know, we have a lot of ships going that direction, just in case.
08:26We have a big flotilla going in that direction. And we'll see what happens.
08:33We have a force. We have a big force going toward Iran.
08:38I'd rather not see anything happen, but we're watching them very closely.
08:41I stopped 837 hangings on Thursday.
08:49They would have been dead. Every one of them would have been hung.
08:51This is like from a thousand years ago. This is an ancient culture.
08:56Very smart people, by the way, but it's an ancient culture.
09:00837 mostly young men were going to be hung on Thursday.
09:06And I said, if you hang those people, you're going to be hit harder than you've ever been hit.
09:13It'll make what we did to your Iran nuclear look like peanuts.
09:16And an hour before this horrible thing was going to take place, they canceled it.
09:23And they actually said they canceled it. They didn't postpone it. They canceled it.
09:27So that was a good sign. But we have an armada. We have a massive fleet heading in that direction.
09:36And maybe we won't have to use it. We'll see.
09:39Iranian officials and clerics responded with open mockery and threats,
09:43warning that U.S. bases across the region would become targets if Iran were attacked.
09:49State television aired footage of Iranian military drones, some identical to those used by Russia in
09:55Ukraine, along with thinly veiled threats toward Israel. Whether Trump was misled or misrepresented
10:02the situation, the result is the same. There is no confirmed halt to executions. The crackdown
10:08continues. And the risk of escalation, both inside Iran and beyond it, is growing.
10:14Now, Iranian state-linked media is claiming that Israel has canceled leave of many army personnel,
10:20a move typically associated with elevated operational alert. There is no confirmation
10:25from the Israeli Defense Forces, no official statement as of now. But in a region where
10:31signaling itself is a strategic tool, even unverified reports carry weight. If accurate,
10:37this could suggest preparation, not caution. Is Israel quietly preparing for war? Reports are now
10:46circulating that the Israeli military may have canceled Shabbat leave for all IDF soldiers,
10:52a move that, if true, could be a major warning sign of escalating conflict in the Middle East.
10:57As tensions between Iran and the United States continue to spiral, Israel may be sending a subtle but
11:03serious signal. Social media and regional observers claim that the Israel Defense Forces have restricted
11:10weekend leave, keeping troops on base during a period of extreme uncertainty. While major Israeli outlets
11:17haven't confirmed a blanket cancellation, the IDF has publicly stated it is on high alert and prepared
11:23for any scenario, which in itself suggests a heightened state of readiness. In Israel,
11:29canceling Shabbat or holiday leave isn't normal. Historically, the IDF only restricts leave during
11:35high alert periods or potential escalations, ensuring that troops are available for immediate deployment.
11:42So if this leave cancellation is real, it's not just a routine precaution. It's a signal that Israel
11:47anticipates serious threats, possibly including missile or drone attacks. Across the region,
11:54tensions are mounting. Iran is in turmoil, facing nationwide protests in a brutal crackdown,
12:00with death tolls exceeding 5,000 and thousands arrested. The US has responded with a major military
12:07buildup, sending aircraft carriers, warships and advanced air defenses toward the Gulf. President
12:13Trump called it a massive armada heading toward Iran just in case. Iran has threatened retaliation,
12:20including potential strikes on US bases, escalating the risk of a wider conflict. Israel sits directly
12:27in the danger zone. Analysts warn that if Iran retaliates, Israeli targets could be hit either
12:33directly or through proxies like Hezbollah. Earlier this year, the military quietly scaled back large-scale
12:40holiday shutdowns to ensure year-round readiness, a policy shift prompted by lessons learned from past
12:46attacks. Now, amid Iran-US tensions, these preparations may be coming into effect, with troops on
12:53standby and leave restricted. If the Shabbat leave cancellation is real, it could indicate that Israel
12:59is preparing for possible Iranian missile or drone strikes, regional escalation involving proxy groups,
13:06coordinated military action with US forces in case of conflict. Even without official confirmation,
13:12the timing and IDF postures suggest serious concern. No official war has been declared. No shots have
13:19been fired. But when a military quietly changes its routines, history shows it is often a precursor to
13:25major developments. Whether this is a precautionary measure or a warning to Tehran, the message is clear.
13:32The Middle East is on edge and Israel is preparing for the worst.
13:36And now the United Kingdom has also entered into the picture. London confirms it has deployed Typhoon
13:43fighter jets to Al-Odayd Air Base in Qatar, describing the move as defensive but deliberate. It's a signal of
13:51reassurance to its allies and a reminder that Iran's crisis is no longer viewed as contained.
13:58Is UK quietly preparing for war with Iran? British fighter jets have just been sent to the Gulf,
14:07joining a growing US military buildup as fears of a wider conflict continue to rise.
14:14In a major move that's raising eyebrows worldwide, the United Kingdom has deployed Royal Air Force
14:20Typhoon fighter jets to Qatar, reinforcing defenses in one of the most volatile regions on the planet.
14:27The UK government says the deployment is defensive, but the timing tells a bigger story. The Typhoon
14:34jets have been sent to Al-Udeed Air Base near Doha, forming No. 12 Squadron, a joint RAF Qatari unit.
14:43The deployment was made at the invitation of Qatar and is meant to strengthen air defense across the
14:48Gulf. UK Defense Secretary John Healy said the move boosts security for both nations and supports
14:56stability in the region. But this isn't just a symbolic gesture. The Typhoon is a highly advanced
15:02multi-role fighter jet capable of intercepting aircraft, shooting down missiles and destroying
15:08drones. Defense sources say the jets are particularly effective against Iranian Shahed drones, which Iran has
15:16used across the region and supplied to Russia in Ukraine. In other words, these jets are there for
15:23real-world threats. At the same time, the United States is dramatically increasing its presence.
15:29The USS Abraham Lincoln Aircraft Carrier Strike Group, equipped with F-35 fighter jets, is expected
15:36to arrive in the Gulf soon. It's accompanied by guided missile destroyers, submarines, and advanced air
15:43defense systems like Patriot and THAAD batteries. A second U.S. carrier is also reportedly on its way.
15:49President Trump described the fleet as an armada, saying it was sent toward Iran just in case.
15:58You know, we have a lot of ships going that direction just in case. We have a big
16:04flotilla going in that direction. And we'll see what happens.
16:09We have a big force. We have a big force going toward Iran. I'd rather not see anything happen,
16:17but we're watching them very closely. I stopped 837 hangings on Thursday. They would have been dead.
16:26Every one of them would have been hung. This is like from a thousand years ago. This is an ancient
16:32culture. Very smart people, by the way. But it's an ancient culture. 837, mostly young men,
16:40were going to be hung on Thursday. And I said, if you hang those people, you're going to be hit harder
16:48than you've ever been hit. It'll make what we did to your Iran nuclear look like peanuts. And
16:53I said, an hour before this horrible thing was going to take place, they canceled it. And they
17:01actually said they canceled it. They didn't postpone it. They canceled it. So that was a good sign.
17:06But we have an armada. We have a massive fleet heading in that direction.
17:13And maybe we won't have to use it. We'll see.
17:15Defense analysts say the scale of the buildup goes beyond routine deterrence and is consistent
17:23with preparations for a potential U.S. strike on Iran. British officials have emphasized that the
17:29RAF presence adds an extra defensive layer, especially in case Iran retaliates against U.S.
17:36or allied bases. And that fear isn't hypothetical. Al-Udid Air Base hosts U.S. Central Command,
17:43making it one of the most important and most vulnerable military sites in the region.
17:48Iran has targeted the base before, launching missiles toward it after earlier U.S. strikes on
17:54Iranian nuclear facilities. That history is a major reason allied forces are reinforcing the area now.
18:01This isn't the UK's first move like this. Britain reinforced the region ahead of previous Iran-Israel
18:08clashes and sent typhoons to Qatar during past crises, including the 12-day
18:13Iran-Israel conflict and earlier regional escalations. But combined with the current U.S. buildup,
18:20this deployment carries more weight. So are these forces here to prevent war or to prepare for it?
18:26So, an uncertain death toll, contested executions, unconfirmed military alerts and fresh deployments
18:36into the Gulf. We will continue tracking every signal and every shift on the ground.
18:40Meanwhile, that's world news for you tonight.
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