 "US claims Iran 'halted' 800 executions as Trump warns of 'grave consequences' over protesters' killings")
As the tensions in Iran continue to escalate, the United States claimed that the West Asian nation has halted 800 planned executions following pressure from American President Donald Trump. Washington went on to warn that military action remains an option as it opposed the killing of protesters in the country.
“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 on Thursday. “All options remain on the table for the president,” she said, adding that Trump had warned Iran of “grave consequences” if the killing of demonstrators continued.
The White House also maintained that “President Donald Trump is closely monitoring the situation on the ground in Iran.” The stance from the Trump administration came just days after the president said that the intermediaries from Iran had conveyed guarantees that executions would be halted.
Earlier this week, Trump told reporters that the assurances came from “very important sources on the other side,” even as regional allies grew increasingly concerned that rising tensions could trigger direct confrontation. Meanwhile, a Saudi official also confirmed to AFP that the rhetoric from Washington and Tehran is temporarily softening.
Risk of US attack remains
On Thursday, the Saudi official told AFP that Qatar, Saudi Arabia and Oman spearheaded an urgent diplomatic push to restrain Trump, citing fears of “grave blowbacks in the region”. The official noted that three Gulf states mounted what he described as “a long, frantic, diplomatic last-minute effort to convince President Trump to give Iran a chance to show good intentions”, requesting anonymity due to the sensitivity of the discussions.
A second Gulf official supported the account, stating that diplomatic outreach also included a warning to Tehran that any strike on US facilities in the region would “have consequences”. The developments are coming at a time when Iran is continuing with its nationwide internet shutdown that activists fear is intended to conceal the scale of the crackdown.
The blackout has now entered its seventh day. “Exactly one week ago… Iran fell into digital darkness as authorities imposed a national internet blackout,” internet monitoring group Netblocks said in a social media post. In light of this, the United States announced a new round of sanctions targeting Iranian officials accused of repressing protests challenging Iran’s theocratic leadership.
Quick Reads
View AllAmong those who are sanctioned is the secretary of Iran’s Supreme Council for National Security, whom the US Treasury Department accuses of being among the first officials to call for violence against protesters. Apart from this, the US Treasury Department’s Office of Foreign Assets Control also designated 18 individuals and entities alleged to be involved in laundering money from Iranian oil sales through a shadow banking network linked to sanctioned institutions Bank Melli and Shahr Bank.
With inputs from AFP.
 "Venezuela's María Corina Machado says she presented her Nobel, unclear if the Potus accepted it")
 "As Trump piles military pressure on Iran, a worry in China: Can its air defence systems hold up?")
 "Brazil's Bolsonaro transferred to bigger prison to serve his sentence for orchestrating a failed coup")
 "FirstUp: India nationals to be evacuated from Iran, European leaders in Brazil... News today")
 "Venezuela's María Corina Machado says she presented her Nobel, unclear if the Potus accepted it")
 "As Trump piles military pressure on Iran, a worry in China: Can its air defence systems hold up?")
 "Brazil's Bolsonaro transferred to bigger prison to serve his sentence for orchestrating a failed coup")
 "FirstUp: India nationals to be evacuated from Iran, European leaders in Brazil... News today")
