Iran halts hundreds of executions as Gulf allies pull Trump back from strike, US says

Iranians attend an anti-government protest in Tehran, Iran on January 9. Photo: UGC via AP

The United States on Thursday said Iran halted 800 executions of protesters under pressure from US President Donald Trump, after Gulf allies appeared to pull him back from military action over Tehran’s deadly crackdown on demonstrations.

Iran was shaken over the past week by some of the biggest anti-government protests in the history of the Islamic Republic, although the demonstrations appear to have diminished over the past few days in the face of repression and a week-long internet blackout.

While Washington has stepped back from military action, the White House said on Thursday that “all options remain on the table for the president”.

“The president understands today that 800 executions that were scheduled and supposed to take place yesterday were halted,” White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt told reporters.
She said Trump had warned Tehran of “grave consequences” if the killing of demonstrators continued.

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Hundreds of protesters and security officers dead as Iran steps up efforts to quell unrest

Hundreds of protesters and security officers dead as Iran steps up efforts to quell unrest
The Treasury also announced new sanctions targeting Iranian officials on Thursday, with Tehran already under crippling restrictions over its nuclear programme that contributed to the economic woes that sparked protests.

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