Man was hours from execution before Trump stepped in, his sobering final post reveals what he knew was coming

Erfan Soltani, a 26-year-old Iranian protester, was supposed to be executed on January 14. But the Iranian government postponed his death sentence after President Donald Trump stepped in. This rare decision came just hours before Soltani was scheduled to die.

According to LadBible, Soltani was the first civilian sentenced to death after weeks of economic protests turned into massive anti-government demonstrations across Iran. His family desperately asked Trump for help after the US president publicly promised to “take very strong action” if any arrested protesters were killed.

Before his arrest, Soltani posted a photo of himself on social media on December 17 with just one word: “Eternal.” He posted this 11 days before the protests started, suggesting he knew the risks he was taking by joining the movement.

Trump’s intervention likely saved a young activist’s life

Right now, no one knows where Soltani is or how he’s doing because Iran heavily restricts internet access. But according to the human rights group Hengaw, his execution has been postponed, which is a temporary win.

Soltani owns a shop in the city of Fardis. He was arrested last Thursday after attending a protest there. His family wasn’t even told about his arrest until days later. Reports say he wasn’t given a lawyer and his trial happened extremely quickly.

Soltani has been involved in pro-democracy movements for years. His social media accounts show he’s been active in protests for at least two years. One account uses the phrase “Women, Life, Freedom” in the bio, which is a popular slogan demanding more rights for women in Iran.

This slogan became famous after 22-year-old Mahsa Amini died in police custody. She was arrested by Iran’s morality police for supposedly not wearing her hijab correctly, and her death sparked protests across the country. Soltani’s Instagram bio also references the pre-1979 monarchy that ruled Iran before the Islamic Revolution, showing his opposition to the current government. Trump’s recent actions have drawn attention from medical professionals, with one doctor raising concerns about something strange in the Oval Office.

Iranian officials deny that Soltani’s execution was connected to the protests at all. They called the reports “a blatant act of news fabrication.” They claim he faced charges like “colluding against national security” and “propaganda activities against the establishment,” which don’t carry the death penalty. Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi said there was “no plan” to execute detained protesters. 

Meanwhile, Trump has been making headlines for offering reporters something unexpected during recent Oval Office events. But this denial ignores what’s actually happening. The government has shut down the internet nationwide and violently attacked protesters. Reports say at least 12,000 and possibly up to 20,000 people have died during the crackdowns, though exact numbers are hard to confirm.