Trump urges Iran to release 8 women reportedly set to be hanged in show of goodwill

President Trump called on Iran’s leadership to halt the reported executions of eight women, framing their release as a potential step toward improving relations with the United States ahead of possible negotiations.

In a post on Truth Social, Trump addressed Iranian officials directly, urging them to show restraint and free the detainees. He suggested that such a move would be viewed positively and could help set the tone for upcoming diplomatic talks. His message emphasized that sparing the women would be an important gesture of goodwill.

The appeal followed claims circulating on X, highlighted by pro-Israel activist Eyal Yakoby, alleging that Iran plans to execute eight female detainees connected to anti-government protests earlier this year. While the identities of all the women were not fully confirmed, images included in the post identified several of them.

Among those named was Bita Hemmati, who was arrested during demonstrations in January. According to the National Council of Resistance of Iran, authorities accused her of offenses such as using weapons, throwing objects like concrete blocks, participating in protests, and endangering national security. She was detained along with her husband and two other men from her apartment building, and all four were reportedly sentenced to death.

The post also identified Diana Taherabadi, a 16-year-old, and Mahboubeh Shabani, 33, both arrested in connection with the protests. Taherabadi was charged with “waging war against God,” a crime punishable by death under Iranian law. Shabani was accused of aiding injured demonstrators and was taken into custody in February, according to the Norway-based Hengaw Organization for Human Rights.

Other individuals mentioned include Venus Hosseininejad, 28, who was detained in mid-January and allegedly forced to deliver a televised confession, according to her family. Golnaz Naraghi, a 37-year-old internal medicine specialist at Hashemi-Nejad Hospital, was reportedly arrested around the same time and compelled to sign a confession while held in Qarchak women’s prison, based on information from the Femena human rights group.

Less information is available about three additional women named in the claims—Ghazal Ghalandari, Panah Movahedi, and Ensieh Nejat—and their cases could not be independently verified.

Human rights organizations have long criticized Iran’s judicial process in political cases, alleging that trials are often unfair and lack due process. These concerns have intensified following the government’s response to the January protests, during which tens of thousands of people were reportedly detained. The U.S.-based Human Rights News Agency estimates that more than 50,000 individuals were arrested, while the National Council of Resistance of Iran reports that over 300 executions took place in the first month of the year alone.