The claim that U.S. President Donald Trump's intervention stopped the execution of 800 detainees is "completely false", said prosecutor-general of Iran, Mohammad Movahedi on Friday (23 January). According to him, the number cited by Trump does not exist and the judiciary has made no such decision.
The quote, first published by the judiciary’s Mizan news agency, follows Donald Trump's statement made to the press on Tuesday (20 January).
Trump told reporters that Iran had decided against executing 837 detained protesters after Washington warned that such action would provoke severe consequences.
He added that the authorities “didn’t hang the people” but cautioned that the situation could change, noting, “We’re just going to have to see what happens with Iran.”
He repeated that claim on Thursday (22 January) saying Iran cancelled nearly 840 hangings after his threats.
"I said: 'If you hang those people, you're going to be hit harder than you've ever been hit. It'll make what we did to your Iran nuclear (program) look like peanuts,'" Trump said.
He was referring to the 12-day war in June last year with the U.S. and Israel targetting Iran's military and nuclear sites.
Throughout the recent unrest in the country, President Trump has consistently expressed support for Iranian demonstrators and sharply criticized Tehran’s handling of the protests, warning that lethal force would cross a red line.
Meanwhile, tensions between Tehran and Washington remain high. A U.S. aircraft carrier group is positioned near the Middle East, which Trump described as an “armada,” though analysts note that airstrikes alone may not be enough to destabilise the Iranian regime.
The Soufan Center, a New York-based think tank, said the continued military buildup signals that kinetic options remain on the table, despite Trump apparently scaling back immediate threats.
Varying tolls
The crackdown on protests, which began on 28 December, has already claimed thousands of lives.
Activist groups estimate at least 5,002 people have been killed, with more than 26,800 detained.
The Human Rights Activists News Agency (HRANA) said its count includes 4,716 demonstrators, 203 government-affiliated individuals, 43 children, and 40 civilians not participating in protests.
Iranian authorities offered a lower toll on Wednesday, reporting 3,117 deaths, including 2,427 civilians and security forces, and describing the remainder as “terrorists.”
The crackdown continues under the most extensive internet blackout in the country’s history, which began on 8 January, making independent verification difficult.
Meanwhile, the United Nations Human Rights Council will hold an emergency session on Friday (23 January) to discuss the "alarming violence" used in Iran against protesters, while a group of states will call on UN's investigators to document alleged abuses for future trials.
Rights groups say thousands, including bystanders, were killed during the unrest, which represented the biggest challenge to Iran's clerical government since 2022.
At least 50 countries backed the call for a special session of the UN Human Rights Council to address credible reports of violence, crackdowns on protesters and violations of international human rights law across the country, according to a letter drafted by Iceland.
"The scale of the crimes is unprecedented," Payam Akhavan, a former UN prosecutor with Iranian-Canadian nationality, told Reuters ahead of the session, where he is set to speak.
"We are trying to set the stage for transitional justice in Iran, for the country’s Nuremberg moment, should that come to pass," he said, referring to the international criminal trials of Nazi leaders following World War Two.
Iran's diplomatic mission did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
U.S. President Donald Trump said Washington could destroy Iran’s infrastructure “in two days,” while Tehran warned the U.S. would...
Iran’s Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi said Tehran has “no trust” in the United States and will only consider negotiations if Was...
Georgia is positioning itself as a future energy bridge between the Caspian and Europe, backed by major infrastruc...
Uzbekistan’s Department for Combating Economic Crimes says it has uncovered a ...
Russia and Ukraine exchanged prisoners of war as well as...
Georgia is positioning itself as a future energy bridge between the Caspian and Europe, backed by major infrastructure plans and growing EU support. But behind the ambitious pitch lies a far more complicated political reality.
Uzbekistan’s Department for Combating Economic Crimes says it has uncovered a large-scale fraud and corruption scheme linked to labour migration to South Korea, with estimated damages reaching $90 million.
Russia and Ukraine exchanged prisoners of war as well as the bodies of fallen soldiers, on Friday (15 May). The swap came as Ukranian officials said Moscow had carried out its largest aerial attack over 48 hours since the conflict started.
Iran’s Parliamentary Speaker Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf warned that the U.S. military blockade of Iran’s southern ports could trigger a new global financial crisis as the Tehran-Washington standoff around the strategic Strait of Hormuz persists.
Iran’s Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi said Tehran has “no trust” in the United States and will only consider negotiations if Washington shows seriousness. His remarks came as talks on Iran’s nuclear programme continued, with Trump and Xi also opposing Iran acquiring nuclear weapons.
The U.S.-Israeli war with Iran loomed over U.S. President Donald Trump's visit to China, as signs emerged that the conflict is causing a shift in alliances across the Middle East.
Thousands of fans turned out in Iran's capital Tehran for a massive farewell ceremony on Wednesday night for their national football team, wishing them success before their departure for the World Cup 2026 matches co-hosted by the United States and Mexico.
Ukraine has stepped up attacks on Russian energy facilities in recent months, amid stalled progress in peace negotiations. The strikes have targeted refineries, processing plants, pipelines and export infrastructure, causing repeated disruptions across Russia’s energy sector.
Negotiations between Samsung Electronics and its workforce on Wednesday have broken down, officials said, raising fresh concerns over potential disruption to South Korea’s export-heavy economy.
Uzbekistan has launched a nationwide environmental initiative titled ‘Day Without Cars’, which will take place twice a month as part of efforts to improve air quality and reduce vehicle emissions.
The thirteenth session of the World Urban Forum will open in Baku on Sunday, bringing together government representatives, city leaders, urban planners, international organisations, businesses and civil society to discuss the future of sustainable urban development.
Children laughed, applauded and watched wide-eyed as animated characters lit up the screen at the opening of the ninth Animafilm International Animation Festival in Baku, where filmmakers and audiences from around the world gathered to celebrate the growing influence of animated cinema.
Leaders of the Organisation of Turkic States (OTS) gathered in the Kazakh city of Turkistan for an informal summit focused on strengthening cooperation in trade, transport, energy and regional connectivity as the bloc seeks to expand its geopolitical and economic influence across Eurasia.
Georgia is positioning itself as a future energy bridge between the Caspian and Europe, backed by major infrastructure plans and growing EU support. But behind the ambitious pitch lies a far more complicated political reality.
You can download the AnewZ application from Play Store and the App Store.
What is your opinion on this topic?
Leave the first comment