U.S. President Donald Trump said on Friday that Iran had halted what he described as plans to execute hundreds of prisoners, publicly thanking Tehran amid weeks of violent unrest in the country.
Speaking to reporters as he left the White House for the weekend at Mar-a-Lago, Trump said, “Iran cancelled the hanging of over 800 people,” adding that he “greatly respects the fact that they cancelled,” according to the Associated Press.
Trump’s Truth Social Post
Trump later echoed the claim on Truth Social, writing: “I greatly respect the fact that all scheduled hangings, which were to take place yesterday (over 800 of them), have been cancelled by the leadership of Iran. Thank you!”
The post came after several days in which Trump suggested the United States could take military action if Iran carried out mass executions during the ongoing protests.
Iran Protests and Human Rights Concerns
Iran has faced widespread demonstrations that began over economic hardship and escalated into direct challenges to the country’s ruling system. According to the Norway-based group Iran Human Rights, at least 3,400 people have been killed since the unrest began.
Trump appeared to indicate that Iran’s decision not to proceed with the executions had reduced the likelihood of immediate U.S. military action.
Trump Hints at Shift on Possible Military Action
Earlier this week, Trump warned Iran of “strong action” and posted messages such as “Help is on the way.” Asked on Friday whether that warning still stood, he replied, “Well, we’re going to see.”
When questioned about whether Arab or Israeli officials had influenced his stance, Trump said, “Nobody convinced me. I convinced myself.”
“You had yesterday scheduled over 800 hangings. They didn’t hang anyone,” he said. “They cancelled the hangings. That had a big impact.”
Questions Remain Over Verification
Trump did not specify who he was communicating with in Iran or how he confirmed the alleged cancellation of the executions. Iranian authorities have not publicly verified his claim.
The crisis has also drawn international attention. An emergency meeting of the United Nations Security Council was convened at the request of the United States to discuss Iran’s crackdown on protesters.
