Former President Donald Trump has called upon Iranian officials to grant freedom to eight women prisoners, one of whom is reportedly facing execution for her role in protests against the regime.
Trump emphasized that such an action could serve as a significant positive gesture ahead of the critical peace negotiations with Iran, which are at a precarious juncture with the looming expiration of the ceasefire.
In his post on Truth Social, Trump addressed Iranian authorities directly: “To the leaders of Iran, who will soon engage with my representatives in discussions: I would deeply appreciate the release of these women.”
“I am confident you will understand the importance of this gesture. Please ensure their safety! This could mark a promising beginning to our talks!” he urged.
He concluded with, “Thank you for considering this issue. President DONALD J. TRUMP.”
Trump’s message was accompanied by a screenshot from American pro-Israeli activist Eyal Yakoby, displaying images of the women reportedly facing execution.
He wrote alongside it ‘not a word from the international community or so-called human rights organisations’.
The majority of the women have not been widely identified but did include and picture of Bita Hemmati, who was arrested alongside her husband, Mohammadreza Majidi-Asl, in the crackdown against protests in January.
Iran has already hanged seven people in connection with the protests, which were ruthlessly stamped out in a crackdown that left thousands dead and tens of thousands arrested.
President Trump has implored Iranian leaders to release eight female prisoners, including one who is set to hang for her involvement in anti-regime protests
He added that the move would be considered a ‘great start to our negotiations’, which are due to start today in Islamabad
Bita Hemmati is set to become the first female protester to be hanged by Iran
Alongside the sentencing of Ms Hemmati and Mr Majidi-Asl, Behrouz Zamaninejad and Kourosh Zamaninejad, who lived in the same Tehran building as the married couple were also sentenced to death earlier this month.
Hemmati is believed to be the first woman to be sentenced to death over the protests.
The four were convicted of carrying out actions on behalf of the United States, the US-based Human Rights Activists News Agency (HRANA), and the Abdorrahman Boroumand Center said in separate statements.
They had been accused of throwing concrete blocks from a residential building onto security forces in the capital. It was not immediately clear when the verdict was issued.
The Abdorrahman Boroumand Center said it also believed that Hemmati was the woman who appeared in a video broadcast on state television in January, being personally interrogated by judiciary chief Gholamhossein Mohseni Ejei.
‘The recording and broadcasting of forced confessions from defendants in an opaque process… constitutes a blatant violation of the defendant’s rights,’ it said.
Rights groups accuse the Islamic Republic of using the death penalty as a tool of repression to instill fear in society, and fear it will ramp up capital punishment in the wake of the war against Israel and the United States.
Norway-based Iran Human Rights (IHR) and Paris-based Together Against the Death Penalty (ECPM) said last week in their joint annual report on the death penalty in Iran that at least 1,639 people have been executed in 2025, including 48 women.
Of these, 21 women were executed for the murder of their husbands or fiancés, the report said. Rights groups have said women executed for killing spouses or relatives were often in abusive relationships.
Earlier this month, Iran hanged a teenage musician in the notorious Ghezel Hesar prison outside the capital, despite hopes he would be spared because of his age.
Amirhossein Hatami, 18, was arrested on January 8 and accused of committing arson against the feared Basij paramilitary’s base in Tehran during anti-regime protests.
Amirhossein was convicted of ‘Moharebeh’ (‘Enmity Against God’) and sentenced to death on February 7.
On April 2, the judiciary announced he had been ‘hanged at dawn’.
Senior White House officials had planned to hold meetings today alongside the Vice President JD Vance to determine a path forward.
Trump had previously said Vance was expected to depart Washington for Pakistan on Tuesday morning. Those plans were scrapped at the last minute as uncertainty grew over whether Iran would participate.
During an interview with CNBC, the President said he ‘expects to be bombing Iran’ if talks fail by tomorrow’s deadline, adding ‘the military is raring to go.’
Trump added that he does not want to extend the ceasefire despite confusion over Tehran’s participation.
Pakistan’s Information Minister Attaullah Tarar announced that Tehran has not made a decision to meet with the US despite Pakistan’s ‘sincere efforts to convince’ Iran to attend negotiations.
