US President Donald Trump extended unusual thanks to Iran on Friday, claiming that Tehran had halted over 800 scheduled executions of political prisoners as anti-government protests grips the nation.
Speaking to reporters on the South Lawn, Trump said, “Iran cancelled the hanging of over 800 people. They were going to hang over 800 people yesterday, and I greatly respect the fact that they cancelled them.”
He also shared his reaction in a post on Truth Social, saying, “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 development came amid worldwide outcry over Tehran’s handling of protests targeting Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei. Trump had threatened with intervention, but by Wednesday he claimed a pause in protester killings. He said he would “watch and see” the military action.
White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt laid out the vigilance in a briefing, stressing “all options remain on the table for the President.”
“The President and his team have communicated to the Iranian regime that if the killing continues, there will be grave consequences. The President understands today that 800 executions that were scheduled and supposed to take place yesterday were halted. The President and his team are closely monitoring this situation, and all options remain on the table for the President,” she detailed.
India, meanwhile, sounded the alarm for its nationals in Iran, asking nationals to leave the country amid the simmering chaos. Officials promised close monitoring and a firm commitment to “doing whatever is necessary for their well-being.”
Protests began December 28 at Tehran’s Grand Bazaar over the rial’s freefall, morphing into countrywide rage against water crises, power cuts, soaring joblessness, and inflation spikes.
According to opposition groups and an Iranian official, over 2,000 people were killed in the unrest since Iran’s 1979 Islamic Revolution.
