Why Donald Trump thanked Iran
US President Donald Trump has praised the Iranian government for reversing its decision to execute political prisoners. He shared this rare positive reaction while speaking with reporters on Friday before leaving the White House, according to a report by the news agency AP.
While departing for his weekend getaway at the Mar-a-Lago resort in Palm Beach, Florida, Trump told reporters that Iran has canceled the executions of more than 800 people. He added, "I have great respect for them doing that."
The Republican President also mentioned Iran's decision on his own social media platform. There, he noted that more than 800 people were scheduled to be executed in Iran, which is no longer happening. In his post, Trump wrote, “Thank you!”
Trump’s positive comments come just days after he warned that the United States might launch military strikes if the Iranian government began mass killings amid ongoing widespread protests. However, the intensity of those protests in Iran has reportedly diminished significantly.
According to human rights activists, the death toll from the ongoing protests in Iran continues to rise. Nevertheless, Trump’s statement suggests that the likelihood of US military action has decreased for now, given that Iran did not proceed with the executions.
While President Trump’s positive assessment does not quite align with the complex situation currently unfolding in Iran, his remarks prove that he is backing away from his previous comments regarding an imminent US attack.
Earlier, in a social media post addressed to Iranian protesters, Trump had written, “Help is on the way.” When asked on Friday if that promise still stands, he replied, “We’ll see what happens.”
When specifically asked by reporters if he had reconsidered the decision to attack Iran due to pressure from Arab and Israeli officials, Trump stated, “Nobody talked me out of it. I made my own decision.”
He further added, "They were going to execute more than 800 people yesterday. They didn't execute anybody. They canceled it, and that had a big impact on me."
However, Trump did not clarify with which members of the Iranian government he had communicated to confirm the cancellation of these executions. This is significant because while Trump is praising Iran, there are allegations that the government has stifled the protests by killing thousands of people through severe crackdowns.
The protests, which began on December 28 in response to a fragile economy, later transformed into a direct movement against the country’s clerical rule. Currently, the unrest is believed to have largely subsided. No new protests have been reported in the capital, Tehran, over the past few days; shopping and public life have begun to return to normal. However, the week-long internet blackout remains in effect.
Authorities have not reported any new violence in other parts of the country either.
Meanwhile, the US-based Human Rights Activists News Agency reported on Friday that the death toll in the ongoing Iranian protests has risen to 2,797, and the number is still increasing.
