Germany Trump increases pressure on Iran - death toll rises
While the bloodshed in the mass protests against the authoritarian leadership in Iran continues, according to activists, US President Donald Trump wants to put pressure on the Islamic Republic with new tariffs.
13.01.2026, 06:07
SDA
All countries that do business with Iran are to be subject to punitive tariffs on imports into the USA amounting to 25 percent of the value of the goods with immediate effect, as Trump explained on his Truth Social platform. However, his terse announcement left many questions unanswered.
Reza Pahlavi, the son of the Shah, who was overthrown in 1979 and lives in exile in the USA, hopes that the USA will intervene in Iran sooner rather than later. "The best way to ensure that fewer people are killed in Iran is to intervene early so that this regime finally collapses and all the problems we are facing come to an end," said Pahlavi in an interview with the US broadcaster CBS News.
The US was taking the situation in Iran very seriously, Trump had said on Sunday. "The military is looking at it, and we're looking at some very drastic options. We will make a decision." According to US media reports, Trump is scheduled to meet with his national security team today.
The number of deaths in Iran is rising
The Oslo-based human rights organization Iran Human Rights (IHRNGO) put the number of deaths since the outbreak of the protests at the end of December at at least 648. The US-based human rights network HRANA also spoke of almost 650 deaths. These include 505 demonstrators - including nine children - and 133 military and police officers. According to some estimates, even more than 6,000 people could have been killed, the IHRNGO organization wrote on the X platform. Some estimates put the number of arrests at more than 10,000. The information cannot currently be independently verified, partly due to the ongoing internet and telecommunications blockade.
Meanwhile, the US news portal "Axios" reported, citing a White House official, that Trump is leaning towards attacking targets in Iran. However, he is said to have not yet made a decision and is currently reviewing Iranian negotiation proposals. Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi contacted US special envoy Steve Witkoff at the weekend to discuss the protests, the news portal quoted two informed sources as saying.
Shah's son: Tehran wants to trick the world
Pahlavi said on CBS that Tehran was trying to "trick the world" by pretending to be ready to negotiate a way out of the unrest. The key turning point would be "if this regime realized that it can no longer rely on a continued campaign of repression without the world responding," Pahlavi said.
New tariffs could reignite trade conflict with China
In Trump's terse announcement of tariffs on countries doing business with Iran, it remained unclear what exactly his wording on countries "doing business with Iran" encompassed. No presidential decree on tariffs was initially published by the White House. Trump has frequently announced new tariffs or increases in existing import duties, some of which have then been withdrawn or postponed.
The Islamic Republic's most important trading partners, which are subject to far-reaching sanctions by the USA and the EU, include China, India, the Emirates and Turkey. However, EU countries such as Germany also trade with Iran on a small scale.
Wadephul calls for tougher measures
Meanwhile, following a meeting with US Secretary of State Marco Rubio in Washington, German Foreign Minister Johann Wadephul called for tougher measures to be taken against the leadership in Tehran. Iran is seen as an "unjust regime" without popular legitimacy that uses means against its own people "that violate all rules of humanity", said Wadephul.
Wadephul announced that the German government would attempt to extend the sanctions to the Iranian leadership. This would include a listing in the European Union's terror sanctions regime. This has not yet been possible because it requires unanimity in the EU. He called on the member states to re-examine the issue against the backdrop of the violent crackdown on demonstrators.
Pahlavi: Regime must disappear
When asked by CBS whether he was urging Trump to initiate regime change, Pahlavi replied that Trump was in solidarity with the people of Iran, meaning that Trump ultimately supported their demands. "And their demand is that this regime has to go," he added. Pahlavi, who was once appointed crown prince by his authoritarian father, the Shah of Persia, has been living in exile in the USA for decades.
Pahlavi claims a future leadership role in Iran and refers to the chants with his name at the protests. However, it is unclear how much support he actually has within the country. Pahlavi has repeatedly appealed for support from Washington, including explicitly from Trump.
