Swedish PM voices support for Iranians’ ‘freedom struggle’

Belgian Prime Minister Bart De Wever praised Iranians who continue to “stand firm on the path to freedom” and posted his message also in Persian on X on Thursday.

“Courageous Iranians are standing up for freedom after years of repression and economic hardship. They deserve our full support. Silencing them through violence is unacceptable,” Belgian PM said.

A senior US official told Fox News on Thursday that CENTCOM is closely monitoring the growing anti‑government protests in Tehran and that the US will also be watching Friday prayers across Iran tomorrow and how the regime responds.

"CENTCOM watching closely the growing anti regime protests in Tehran. The US will be watching closely the Friday prayers tomorrow across Iran and how the regime responds," Fox News Jennifer Griffin posted on X.

"A squadron of F15E’s have deployed to the Middle East but are part of a normal rotation, I am told. There has been no plus up of forces to the Middle East. (Reminder there is no US aircraft carrier group in the Middle East right now, USS Ford remains in the Caribbean,)" she added.

Republican Congresswoman María Elvira Salazar praised protesters in Venezuela and Iran, saying the world is “fed up with extreme regimes” and predicting that 2026 will be a “year of liberation.”​

“The world is FED UP with extreme regimes. Peoples rise and tyrants tremble. Venezuela is on the road to FREEDOM. And the brave people of Iran fight for a free and dignified nation. 2026 will be the YEAR OF LIBERATION,” Salazar posted on X.

US Senator John Fetterman called for solidarity with anti‑government protesters in Iran, accusing the authorities of cutting internet access and urging Washington and Israel to intensify pressure on Tehran’s leadership.

“We should all stand with those brave Iranian protesters. Leadership is so desperate, they’ve pulled the internet. We must build on the success America and Israel created that breaks Iran’s evil regime,” the Democratic Senator from Pennsylvania posted on X on Thursday.

Amnesty International and Human Rights Watch issued a joint statement on Thursday condemning Iran's crackdown on protesters since December 28, saying security forces have used unlawful force, firearms, and mass arbitrary arrests to disperse, intimidate, and punish largely peaceful demonstrators.

The rights groups said security forces, including Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) and police force known as FARAJA, have unlawfully used rifles, shotguns loaded with metal pellets, water cannons, tear gas, and beatings.

According to the groups, the crackdown has resulted in at least 28 protester deaths and bystanders, including children, in 13 cities across eight provinces between December 28 and January 3, 2026.