Donald Trump has stepped back from threats to strike Iran, claiming that Tehran has assured him the killing of protesters has stopped and no executions are planned. Speaking at the White House, the US president said he had been told on 'good authority' that the crackdown had ceased, though he offered no details and admitted the US had yet to verify the claims.
The announcement marks a sharp reversal from Trump’s recent rhetoric, in which he said the US was 'locked and loaded' if Iran used force against demonstrators. Despite reports estimating thousands killed, Trump made no move towards military action, having reviewed options but remaining unconvinced any single strike would bring decisive change.
Iranian foreign minister Abbas Araghchi told Fox News there was no plan for executions, saying 'hanging is out of the question'. However, judiciary chief Gholam-Hossein Mohseni-Eje’i was recorded saying any action must be taken 'quickly, at the right time'. The first protester sentenced to death, Erfan Soltani, had his execution postponed after his family were notified.
Trump had been lobbied by Middle Eastern leaders not to strike, with Israeli and Arab officials warning that the Iranian regime was not weak enough to be toppled by US attacks. Israel braced for possible action but maintained silence, conscious that visible involvement could discredit the protest movement.
After Trump’s remarks, the Pentagon prepared to stand down forces, with long-range bombers taken off alert. Analysts debate whether the president’s sudden pivot is strategic or chaotic, but some argue it aims to deter repression without resorting to military force.
