Trump says executions halted in Iran as Washington keeps military option open

US President Donald Trump on January 14 claimed that Iran has halted the execution and killing of protesters amid its violent nationwide crackdown, even as Washington continues to keep the option of military intervention on the table.

Speaking to reporters, Trump said he had been told “on good authority” that Tehran had stepped back from plans to carry out mass executions of demonstrators who have flooded Iran’s streets in protest against worsening economic conditions.

“We’ve been told that the killing in Iran is stopping, it’s stopped, it’s stopping, and there’s no plan for executions or an execution or executions,” Trump said. “We’ll find out about it.”

The US president said his information came from “very important sources on the other side”, adding that the much-feared hangings of protesters — widely discussed in recent days — would no longer take place.

Washington keeps pressure on Tehran

When asked whether that meant US military action against Iran was now off the table, Trump refused to rule it out.

“We’re gonna watch and see what the process is, but we were given a very good statement by people that are aware of what’s going on,” he said.

His comments followed a provocative post on his Truth Social platform that fuelled speculation of an imminent US strike on Iran. Addressing demonstrators directly, Trump wrote:

“Iranian Patriots, KEEP PROTESTING – TAKE OVER YOUR INSTITUTIONS!!!… HELP IS ON ITS WAY.”

Trump later said he had cancelled all meetings with Iranian officials until the “senseless killing” of protesters stopped, and warned Iranian authorities to keep track of those responsible for abuses.

“Save the name of the killers and the abusers … because they’ll pay a very big price,” he told Iranians in a subsequent speech.

Death toll mounts amid brutal crackdown

Iran has been rocked by mass protests over deteriorating economic conditions, with thousands taking to the streets across the country. The response from Iranian security forces has been swift and deadly.

While the exact number of people killed remains unclear, estimates range from about 2,000 to possibly more than 12,000. An Iranian official told Reuters that 2,000 people had been killed, blaming “terrorists” for the deaths.

The US-based Human Rights Activists News Agency (HRANA) said it has confirmed the deaths of 1,850 protesters, 135 people linked to the government, nine uninvolved civilians and nine children over the past 17 days — despite an ongoing internet blackout that has made independent verification difficult.

Even as Trump claims Tehran has paused executions, the scale of the bloodshed has already placed Iran under intense international scrutiny, with the world now watching closely to see whether the crackdown truly eases or deepens further.