‘We may have turned a corner’: Shashi Tharoor sees Iran tensions easing; cites halt to executions, softer US stance

File photo: Congress MP Shashi Tharoor (Picture credit: PTI)

NEW DELHI: Congress MP Shashi Tharoor on Sunday said there were indications that tensions surrounding Iran may be easing, pointing to reports that executions of protesters have been cancelled and that the United States has toned down its military posture.Speaking to reporters, Tharoor said a “positive sign” was the reported decision by Iranian authorities to halt executions that had earlier been announced. “Two good signs we’ve heard are that the authorities have cancelled the executions of over 800 people that they had announced previously. That’s a very good sign,” he said, as per news agency ANI.Tharoor also referred to a shift in Washington’s approach, noting that US President Donald Trump had indicated he was holding off on any immediate military action against Iran. “Mr Trump has also said that he is holding off on any strikes for the moment. I think in some ways it’s a hopeful sign that we will see a dialling down of tension,” he said.

Acknowledging the difficulty in assessing the situation due to restricted access to information from Iran, Tharoor said the internet shutdown imposed by authorities meant that “we don’t have access to the latest information”. However, he argued that the change in tone itself was significant. “The toning down of language from the White House is an indicator in itself,” he said.Tharoor suggested that regional countries, particularly in the Gulf, would prefer calm over escalation, given the risk of instability spilling across borders. He said neighbouring states would be anxious about scenarios such as refugee movements or wider disorder if the situation were to spiral. “None of the countries would want attacks… I think they would all want some calm and order,” he said, adding that his “gut feeling” was that “we may have turned a corner”.His comments come against the backdrop of widespread unrest in Iran. Rights groups have said nationwide protests have led to more than 3,000 deaths, making it the deadliest unrest in decades. The protests, which began in late December over economic hardship, escalated into broader demonstrations against Iran’s clerical leadership. Communications have remained heavily restricted, with internet connectivity reported to be at just a fraction of normal levels, according to internet monitoring groups cited by Reuters.US President Trump has also publicly commented on reports of halted executions. Trump posted on social media that planned hangings had been cancelled, although Iranian authorities have not officially confirmed such plans or their cancellation.Tharoor also briefly addressed the situation in Gaza, expressing scepticism about claims that the peace process had entered a stable phase. “Unfortunately there are still continuing attacks, so people are still dying in Gaza every day,” he said. He added that there was no clear information on Hamas disarmament and described the situation as “extremely tense”.Meanwhile, Trump has renewed calls for Hamas to disarm, warning that the group must honour its commitments, according to his Truth Social post.