WASHINGTON:
President Donald Trump on Wednesday made a vague statement that he had been told “on good authority” that plans for executions in Iran had been halted, even as Tehran has signaled that swift trials and executions are coming in its crackdown on protesters.
The US president’s claims, which were made with few details, come as he told protesting Iranians in recent days that “help is on the way” and that his administration would “act accordingly” to respond to the Iranian government. But Trump has not offered any details on how the United States might respond and it was unclear whether his comments on Wednesday indicated he would postpone action.
“We’ve been told the killings in Iran are stopping, they’re stopping, they’re stopping,” Trump said at the White House as he signed bills and executive orders. “And there is no plan for executions, or an execution, or executions, so I have been told on good authority.”
“I hope it’s true,” he said. “Who knows?”
Asked if that meant he didn’t plan to take any action against the Iranian government, Trump said: “We’re going to look at it and see what the process is. But they gave us a very good statement from people who are aware of what’s going on.”
The president consulted with his national security team on next steps Tuesday after telling reporters he believed the killing in Iran was “significant.”
Vice President JD Vance, Secretary of State Marco Rubio and key White House National Security Council officials began meeting last Friday to develop options for Trump, ranging from a diplomatic approach to military strikes.
Iranian security forces’ crackdown on protests has killed at least 2,586 people, the US-based Human Rights Activist News Agency reported.
On Wednesday, Iranian officials said suspects detained in nationwide protests would face swift trials and executions, while the Islamic Republic promised a “decisive response” if the United States or Israel intervene in internal unrest.
The threats emerged as some personnel at a key US military base in Qatar were advised to evacuate on Wednesday night following Trump’s heightened warnings of possible military action over the killing of peaceful protesters.
Mohammad Pakpour, commander of Iran’s paramilitary Revolutionary Guard, reiterated Iranian claims, without providing evidence, that the United States and Israel have instigated the protests and that they are the real killers of protesters and security forces who have died in the unrest, according to Iran’s semi-official Tasnim news agency.
He added that those countries “will receive the response at the appropriate time.”
Earlier Wednesday, Gholamhossein Mohseni-Ejei, head of Iran’s judiciary, said the government must act quickly to punish more than 18,000 people who have been detained through quick trials and executions. Mohseni-Ejei’s comments about speedy trials and executions were made in a video shared online by Iranian state television.
“If we want to do a job, we have to do it now. If we want to do something, we have to do it quickly,” he said. “If it’s delayed, two or three months later, it doesn’t have the same effect. If we want to do something, we have to do it quickly.”
The comments represent a direct challenge to Trump, who warned Iran about the executions in an interview with CBS broadcast Tuesday. “If they do such a thing, we will take very strong action,” Trump said.
