US Trump: Killing of Iran protesters has stopped
Shafaq News- Washington
The US President Donald Trump said on Wednesday that he’s been told that plans for executions in Iran have stopped.
Speaking from the white house oval office, he added, "We’ve been told that the killing in Iran is stopping, it’s stopped, it’s stopping, and there’s no plan for executions, or an execution, or executions, so I’ve been told that on good authority.”
Earlier on Tuesday, Trump urged Iranians to keep protesting and vowed that help was on the way. “TAKE OVER YOUR INSTITUTIONS!!!.,” he said, adding thet he had canceled all meetings with Iranian officials until the “senseless killing” of protesters stopped.
Iranian Defense Minister Brig. Gen. Aziz Nasirzadeh said that any military assault on Iran would make all US bases and interests legitimate targets, adding that countries facilitating such an operation would also be held responsible.
Axios reported that US envoy Steve Witkoff held a secret meeting over the weekend with Iran’s exiled former crown prince Reza Pahlavi to discuss the protests. A senior US official cited by the outlet said the meeting marked the first high-level contact between the Trump administration and an Iranian opposition figure since the unrest began more than two weeks ago.
Iran’s nationwide protests erupted on December 28 after the rial collapsed to a record low of about 1.45 million to the US dollar, driving sharp increases in food prices and inflation before spreading nationwide. The Human Rights Activists News Agency (HRANA) said at least 2,571 people have been killed so far, including 2,403 protesters, 147 government-affiliated individuals, 12 minors, and nine civilians not involved in demonstrations. Iranian officials have acknowledged an overall death toll of around 2,000.
