WASHINGTON: US President Donald Trump said on Wednesday that killings linked to Iran’s crackdown on nationwide protests appear to be easing, adding that he does not believe Tehran plans large-scale executions of demonstrators — even as fears grow over possible US military intervention.
Speaking at an Oval Office event, Trump said he had received information from “very important sources on the other side” indicating that the violence was subsiding. However, he stopped short of ruling out military action, saying the United States was closely monitoring developments.
The remarks come amid heightened regional tensions, with analysts and diplomats warning that US strikes could backfire by strengthening Iran’s security crackdown, suppressing protests, and triggering retaliatory missile attacks on American bases in the Middle East.
Several experts cautioned that in a worst-case scenario, military intervention could accelerate the collapse of Iran’s government, risking widespread instability, ethnic insurgencies, and unsecured nuclear and missile assets.
Despite the scale of the unrest, multiple US intelligence assessments earlier this week concluded that Iran’s leadership is not close to collapse, according to sources familiar with the reports.
Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araqchi also dismissed concerns over executions, saying there was “no plan for hanging” protesters. “Hanging is out of the question,” he said in a US television interview.
The protests — the largest challenge to Iran’s clerical leadership since the 1979 Islamic Revolution — erupted on December 28. Iranian officials say more than 2,000 people have been killed, while rights groups estimate the death toll exceeds 2,600.
Regional anxiety has intensified after reports that Iran warned neighboring countries that US military bases could be targeted in retaliation for any strikes. Gulf Arab governments are urging restraint, warning that escalation could destabilize the region.
While Trump has previously ordered strikes on Iranian nuclear facilities during last year’s Israel-Iran conflict, officials say the administration is currently reviewing a range of options, including limited military actions, economic pressure, and cyber operations.