According to reports from The New York Times, Benjamin Netanyahu, the Prime Minister of Israel, is said to have influenced former U.S. President Donald Trump to postpone planned air assaults on Iran through a critical, last-minute telephone conversation. This development occurred amid heightened tensions and escalating preparations for a broader regional conflict.
As diplomatic personnel were being withdrawn from Tehran and the country's airspace was being cleared, an attack on Iran appeared to be on the verge of commencement. However, Netanyahu allegedly requested that Trump delay any action to grant Israel additional time to strategize for possible retaliatory measures.
Following this, Trump publicly stated that he had received information from "very important sources on the other side" indicating that Iran had ceased its executions of dissidents. Trump announced, "We were told that the killing in Iran is stopping, and there’s no plan for executions... There’s no plan for executions or an execution. I’ve been told that on good authority. We’ll find out about it. I’m sure if it happens, I’ll be very upset."
On Thursday, January 15, the White House announced that approximately 800 executions in Iran had been halted, and that Trump was "closely monitoring the situation." During an interview with NBC News, Trump remarked, "We saved a lot of lives yesterday."
Shortly after Trump's declarations, Iran's Foreign Minister, Abbas Araghchi, informed Fox News that there were no intentions to proceed with the "hanging" of protesters.
Regional nations, including Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Oman, and Egypt, reportedly conveyed to the U.S. administration their strong advice against striking Iran, cautioning that such a move could trigger a wider conflict throughout the Middle East.
Meanwhile, Iran continues to grapple with extensive anti-government demonstrations and international scrutiny concerning its handling of the unrest. The Iranian government has imposed a nationwide internet blackout, and two Iranian officials revealed to The New York Times that at least 3,000 individuals had perished during the protests.
Mahmood Amiry-Moghaddam, the Director of Iran Human Rights, stated, "Horrifying eyewitness accounts of protesters being shot dead while trying to flee, the use of military-grade weapons, and the street execution of wounded protesters all point to a planned and widespread crime carried out with the aim of mass killing civilians."
He further added, "Ali Khamenei and the individuals and institutions acting under his authority have committed one of the gravest crimes of our time. The international community has a duty to act immediately to prevent the continuation of this killing. The people of Iran urgently need help."
Amidst the ongoing violence, attention focused on Erfan Soltani, a 26-year-old shopkeeper who was apprehended during demonstrations and was believed to be at imminent risk of execution. Soltani was thought to be the first protester facing capital punishment since the most recent wave of protests began. His family had expressed concerns that he could be executed at any moment before Iranian officials seemingly reversed their stance.
Iran's state-controlled media reported that Soltani's charges, which included "colluding against the country’s internal security and propaganda activities against the regime," did not carry the death penalty if officially confirmed by a court.
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