Iran has reportedly suspended the executions of 800 protesters arrested during recent nationwide demonstrations, according to Caroline Levitt, Press Secretary to US President Donald Trump. Levitt made the announcement during a briefing at the White House on Thursday, attributing the decision to pressure from the United States and Gulf allies.
Levitt stated that the Iranian government stepped back from executing the protesters before the scheduled date, though Tehran has yet to issue an official comment.
The suspension comes amid a temporary lull in protests across Tehran and other major cities. Despite the relative calm, tensions remain high, with Washington and Tehran exchanging warnings and threats.
At an emergency UN Security Council meeting, US envoy Mike Waltz said all options, including military action, remain on the table if the Iranian government continues violent crackdowns against demonstrators. Iran’s permanent UN representative responded, asserting Tehran is ready to defend against any military aggression.
Meanwhile, a senior Saudi official claimed that planned US strikes on Iran were averted thanks to interventions by Gulf countries including Saudi Arabia, Qatar, Oman, and Egypt, urging restraint from Washington.
The unrest is fueled by long-term economic decline, with the Iranian rial now considered one of the weakest currencies in the world, trading at nearly 994,055 rials to one US dollar. Rampant inflation is severely impacting basic necessities such as food, clothing, housing, and medical care.
The protests began on December 28 when merchants in Tehran went on strike to protest rising costs and inflation. The unrest quickly spread to 31 of Iran’s provinces, affecting cities and rural areas alike. Government crackdowns have included internet and mobile communication blackouts, mass arrests, and deployment of police and military forces.
Western human rights organizations report that over 10,000 people have been arrested since the protests began. The US-based Human Rights Activists News Agency (HRANA) estimates that fatalities in Tehran alone could range between 500 and 2,000.
Although President Trump had repeatedly suggested the possibility of military action, analysts say that direct US strikes on Iran are unlikely for now, given the country’s ongoing internal instability.