U.S. News

Trump Says Iran Has Halted Protester Killings, Signals Pause on U.S. Military Action

Trump says Iran has halted the killing of protesters and paused executions, easing fears of U.S. military action as markets and allies react.

BY JORDAN LEE

JANUARY 16, 2026

A big winter storm hits the Northeastern U.S

Donald Trump stated that he has been assured that the killing of protesters in Iran has been halted, and he indicated that he would "watch it and see" regarding the threatened US military intervention, as tensions appeared to diminish on Wednesday night. Trump has repeatedly discussed in recent days his intention to assist the Iranian people in response to the crackdown on protests, which Iran Human Rights, a Norwegian-based organization, reports has resulted in at least 3,428 deaths and the arrest of over 10,000 individuals.

However, in a surprising declaration at the White House, Trump stated that he had obtained assurances from "very important sources on the other side" that Tehran had ceased the use of lethal force against demonstrators and that executions would not proceed. “They’ve said the killing has stopped and the executions won’t take place – there were supposed to be a lot of executions today and that the executions won’t take place – and we’re going to find out,” Trump stated.

He provided no specifics and observed that the United States had not yet confirmed the allegations. When inquired whether US military intervention was now excluded, Trump responded: “We’re going to watch it and see what the process is.”

Why This News Matters:

Donald Trump's comments may have brought a temporary halt to a quickly growing crisis that had people worried about mass executions in Iran and a larger conflict in the region involving the US. If this is true, stopping killings and executions would be a rare moment of de-escalation in a brutal crackdown that has made people around the world angry. The change also shows how easily geopolitics can be swayed by words alone—Trump's comments were enough to move the oil and precious metals markets, showing how closely the world is watching for signs of war or peace.

Communities Brace for School Closures and Transportation Disruptions

Iran Signals De-Escalation as Executions Halted and Diplomatic Channels Reopen

Earlier, Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi stated to Fox News that there is no intention by Iran to execute individuals in response to the anti-government protests. “Hanging is out of the question,” he stated. Araghchi's remarks followed earlier statements by Trump, who informed reporters that he had been reassured that the killings of demonstrators in Iran had ceased and that the planned executions had been suspended. Speaking hours after the United States commenced the withdrawal of some personnel from an airbase in Qatar amid escalating concerns of a renewed US-Iran conflict, Trump stated that he had communicated with "very important sources on the other side" and would monitor the progression of the crisis, although he did not exclude the possibility of U.S. military intervention.

“We are going to watch what the process is,” he stated, before acknowledging that the US administration received a "very good statement" from Iran. Erfan Soltani, the first Iranian demonstrator sentenced to death since the onset of current unrest, was widely anticipated to be executed on Wednesday; however, his family has subsequently been informed that the execution has been postponed. The efforts to reduce tensions come in response to a surge of activity that raised concerns about the possibility of imminent military intervention. Iran restricted its airspace to nearly all flights without prior notification early Thursday, and airlines such as Lufthansa announced that their flights would bypass Iranian and Iraqi airspace "until further notice."

Certain personnel at a strategic U.S. military installation in Qatar were instructed to evacuate, and the U.S. embassy in Kuwait also directed its staff to suspend visits to the various military bases within the small Gulf Arab nation. The United States embassy in Saudi Arabia additionally advised personnel to exercise caution and to refrain from approaching military installations. A senior Iranian official stated that Tehran had informed regional countries harboring U.S. bases, including Saudi Arabia and Turkey, that it would retaliate against those bases in the event of a U.S. military strike.

In June, Iran conducted an attack on al-Udeid following the United States' targeted assault on nuclear enrichment facilities within Iran, although the strike was anticipated and primarily symbolic. The UK temporarily shut its embassy in Tehran, while Spain, Poland, and Italy advised their nationals to depart from the country. However, Iran’s airspace was reopened hours later, and Araghchi utilized his interview with Fox News to moderate the rhetoric, imploring the United States to seek a resolution through diplomatic negotiation. When asked what he would convey to Trump, Araghchi responded: “My message is: Between war and diplomacy, diplomacy is a better way, although we don’t have any positive experience from the United States. But still diplomacy is much better than war.”

G7 Warns Iran as Markets React to Softer U.S. Rhetoric

The most recent remarks from Trump triggered a significant 3% decline in oil prices, as apprehensions regarding potential disruptions to global supplies diminished. Gold and silver also declined following the announcement. Crude oil prices increased significantly in recent days as President Trump discussed the possibility of supporting Iranian demonstrators. In a Reuters interview on Wednesday evening, Trump conveyed ambiguity regarding whether the exiled opposition figure Reza Pahlavi would be able to garner sufficient support within Iran to oppose the regime.

“He seems very nice, but I don’t know how he’d play within his own country,” Trump stated. “And we really aren’t up to that point yet. I don’t know whether or not his country would accept his leadership, and certainly if they would, that would be fine with me.” The UN Security Council is scheduled to convene on Thursday afternoon for “a briefing on the situation in Iran,” according to a spokesperson for the Somali presidency. Foreign ministers of the G7 nations stated that they are “prepared to impose additional restrictive measures” against Iran in response to its management of the protests, including the “deliberate use of violence, the killing of protesters, arbitrary detention and intimidation tactics”.