Washington: President Donald Trump publicly thanked Iran's government on January 16 for cancelling plans to execute hundreds of political prisoners amid recent nationwide protests.
Speaking to reporters as he departed the White House for Mar-a-Lago, Trump stated, "Iran cancelled the hanging of over 800 people," adding that he greatly respected their decision. He reinforced this on Truth Social with a simple "Thank you!" post, hinting that the move reduced the likelihood of US military action against Iran.
The comments followed weeks of demonstrations in Iran, sparked by economic woes on December 28 and escalating into direct challenges to the theocratic regime. Protests have since subsided, with normalcy returning to Tehran despite an ongoing internet blackout, though activists report a death toll exceeding 2,797 from government crackdowns.
Trump's remarks signal a de-escalation from his earlier warnings of potential strikes and posts like "Help is on the way" for protesters. When pressed on influences from Arab or Israeli officials, he insisted, "Nobody convinced me. I convinced myself," crediting Iran's cancellation of hangings as a key factor.
Iran's exiled Crown Prince Reza Pahlavi called on Trump to honor intervention pledges, describing him as "a man of his word." Neither US nor Iranian officials confirmed details of the alleged executions, raising questions amid reports of thousands killed in the crackdown.
(Inputs from PTI)