‘Beyond sad’: Analyst aghast as ‘big lie’ Trump bought from adversary proves deadly

Iran has broken its word to President Donald Trump and has ramped up executions under the guise of war to cover up the deaths, an analyst told CNN on Wednesday.

Iranian journalist and activist Masih Alinejad told CNN anchor Jake Tapper how the executions have impacted people inside Iran, where the United Nations has reported that at least 56 people have been executed by the regime since March.

Tapper reported that the U.S.-Iran memorandum of understanding, which was signed in June, did not include any human rights protections, which experts said has led to Iran intensifying executions. Last week, two men were executed after the Iranian regime claimed they were involved in the killing of four police officers during the anti-government riots in 2025.

Alinejad told Tapper she felt “heartbroken” for Iranians living under the regime.

“I’m in touch with a lot of people inside Iran, the relatives of those who have been executed,” she said. “They cannot believe that the whole world stopped talking about them because the execution machine is still working, never sleeps. But as you see, barely media leaders, international community talk about the mass executions.”

Alinejad pointed out a concerning reality.

“You remember yourself that President Trump said that the Islamic Republic promised him to stop executing protesters,” she added. “That was the big lie. And now it’s beyond sad that teenagers are being hanged in public. And there is no TV inside Iran, no media inside Iran talking about the concern of the family members who are actually waiting for their beloved ones to be executed very soon.”