Donald Trump said he has received assurances that the killing of protesters in Iran has stopped and that planned executions will not proceed, as tensions appeared to ease Wednesday night. The announcement followed a period of heightened activity and concern over potential military action.
Iran Protests and US Response
Trump had repeatedly discussed the possibility of aiding the Iranian people amid a crackdown on protests. Iran Human Rights, a Norway-based group, reported at least 3,428 people had been killed and more than 10,000 arrested.
Trump stated he received assurances from “very important sources on the other side” that Tehran had ceased using lethal force against protesters and would halt executions. “They’ve said the killing has stopped and the executions won’t take place – there were supposed to be a lot of executions today and that the executions won’t take place – and we’re going to find out,” Trump said.
He acknowledged the United States had not yet verified the claims and indicated a wait-and-see approach to potential US military action, stating, “We’re going to watch it and see what the process is.”
Iran’s state media reported Thursday that Erfan Soltani, who faced imminent execution, had not been sentenced to death, according to Reuters. Earlier, Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi told Fox News “there is no plan” to execute people in retaliation for the protests, adding, “Hanging is out of the question.”
Escalation and De-escalation
The moves to de-escalate tensions followed a flurry of activity that raised fears of imminent military conflict. Iran closed its airspace to most flights without explanation, prompting airlines like Lufthansa to avoid Iranian and Iraqi airspace. Some personnel at a key US military base in Qatar were advised to evacuate, and US embassy staff in Kuwait and Saudi Arabia were urged to exercise caution.
A senior Iranian official stated Tehran had warned regional countries hosting US bases, including Saudi Arabia and Turkey, that they would be targeted in the event of a US strike. In June, Iran struck al-Udeid in Qatar after the US targeted nuclear enrichment facilities in Iran, though that strike was largely symbolic.
The UK temporarily closed its embassy in Tehran, while Spain, Poland, and Italy advised their citizens to leave the country. However, Iran’s airspace reopened, and Araghchi urged the US to pursue a diplomatic solution during a Fox News interview. “My message is: between war and diplomacy, diplomacy is a better way, although we don’t have any positive experience from the United States. But still diplomacy is much better than war,” he said.
Economic Impact and Future Outlook
Trump’s comments prompted a 3% drop in oil prices as concerns over potential supply disruptions lessened. Gold and silver also dipped on the news. Crude prices had surged in recent days as Trump discussed aiding Iranian protesters.
Trump expressed uncertainty about the ability of exiled opposition figure Reza Pahlavi to garner support within Iran, stating, “He seems very nice, but I don’t know how he’d play within his own country.”
The UN Security Council is scheduled to meet Thursday afternoon for a briefing on the situation in Iran. G7 foreign ministers stated they were prepared to impose additional sanctions on Iran over its handling of the protests, citing the “deliberate use of violence, the killing of protesters, arbitrary detention and intimidation tactics.”
With Associated Press, Reuters and Agence France-Presse
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