U.S. President Donald Trump said Wednesday he had been told that the killing of anti-government protesters in Iran has stopped, a significant shift in rhetoric amid one of the most violent crackdowns in the Islamic Republic’s recent history. Despite his comments, independent verification remains unclear and Tehran’s actions continue to be closely watched by world capitals.
Speaking at the White House, Trump repeated claims that he was informed “on good authority” that Iran had halted lethal force against demonstrators and suspended planned executions, though he did not specify the sources of that information. The statement came as he signed domestic legislation and spoke about other policy priorities. “We’ve been told that the killing in Iran is stopping — it’s stopped — it’s stopping,” he said, also noting that he had been told there were no plans for executions.
The U.S. president added he would “watch it and see what the process is” regarding possible next steps, leaving open the possibility of future action by his administration. National security officials have consulted on options, ranging from diplomatic pressure to military measures — though recent remarks represented a less confrontational stance than earlier threats of possible force.
Iranian authorities have denied that executions of protesters are planned, with Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi telling American media that “there is no plan for hanging at all” and “no hanging today or tomorrow,” even as Tehran points fingers at external forces for inciting the unrest. The Iranian government temporarily closed airspace and reopened it to civilian flights, a sign officials still face pressure both domestically and regionally amid the protest situation.
Human-rights groups say Iran’s current protests — triggered by economic grievances and political repression — have produced thousands of deaths and tens of thousands of arrests over recent weeks, making this the largest anti-government unrest since 1979. Recent independent tallies suggest the death toll has reached into the low thousands, though Tehran disputes or downplays such figures.
International and Strategic Context
Trump’s remarks follow days of escalating rhetoric from both Washington and Tehran, including earlier warnings from the U.S. president that he might take “very strong action” if executions occurred, and calls for Iranians to press on with their protests. Russian, Gulf, and European governments have expressed concern about the situation and urged restraint on all sides.
Although Trump’s comments have been interpreted by some as a temporary de-escalation, U.S. forces in the region remain on alert and military options have not been ruled out by the administration.
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