President Donald Trump on Tuesday urged Iran to release eight women reportedly facing execution, calling it a goodwill gesture ahead of a U.S.-Iran ceasefire deadline that has since been extended.
The extension of the fragile truce has eased immediate fears of renewed military action and raised the possibility of further negotiations, though it remains unclear whether Tehran will participate.
"To the Iranian leaders, who will soon be in negotiations with my representatives: I would greatly appreciate the release of these women," Trump wrote in a post on Truth Social.
"I am sure that they will respect the fact that you did so. Please do them no harm! Would be a great start to our negotiations!!!"
Trump did not name the women.
His post reshared an X message from activist Eyal Yakoby that carried photographs and said Iran was preparing to hang eight women.
The New York Post identified the women.
They included Bita Hemmati, identified by the opposition National Council of Resistance of Iran as the first woman sentenced to death tied to the January protests.
Her husband and two neighbors also received death sentences on charges including using explosives and weapons, throwing objects from rooftops, taking part in protest gatherings, and disrupting national security.
The Human Rights Activists News Agency said in an April 13 statement that "reports concerning possible coerced confessions" raised questions about the judicial process.
Also shown were Diana Taherabadi, 16, and Mahboubeh Shabani, 33, both sentenced to death over alleged roles in the January protests. Taherabadi was accused of waging war against God, while Shabani was accused of aiding wounded demonstrators, according to the Norway-based Hengaw Organization for Human Rights.
Venus Hosseininejad, 28, was forced to confess on state television, her family told ABC Australia.
Golnaz Naraghi, 37, an internal medicine specialist at Hashemi-Nejad Hospital, was detained Jan. 14 and pressed to sign a confession at Qarchak women's prison, the Femena rights group said.
Details on three others, Ghazal Ghalandari, Panah Movahedi, and Ensieh Nejat, could not be independently verified.
Jim Thomas ✉
Jim Thomas is a writer based in Indiana. He holds a bachelor's degree in Political Science, a law degree from U.I.C. Law School, and has practiced law for more than 20 years.
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