The White House said Thursday that Iranian authorities have stopped 800 executions that were scheduled amid ongoing protests, as the U.S. continues to monitor events in Tehran closely.
The White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt told reporters that President Donald Trump was aware of the halt.
“Eight hundred executions that were supposed to take place yesterday have been halted,” she said.
Leavitt added that the administration is reviewing developments in Iran and emphasised that “all options remain on the table” for the president.
Trump has repeatedly expressed support for protesters in Iran, where the government crackdown is reported to have caused thousands of casualties. He warned this week that Washington could take “very strong action” if executions of demonstrators go ahead.
Iran has accused the U.S. and Israel of fomenting “riots” and “terrorism” during the unrest.
Official figures on deaths or arrests have not been released by Iranian authorities. The U.S.-based Human Rights Activists News Agency (HRANA) estimates that more than 2,600 people have died, including protesters and security forces.
Meanwhile, the U.S. on Thursday imposed sanctions on five Iranian officials it accused of being behind the crackdown on protests and said it was tracking Iranian leaders' funds being wired to international banks, as President Trump keeps the pressure on Tehran.
The U.S. Treasury Department in a statement said it imposed sanctions on the Secretary of the Supreme Council for National Security as well as Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps and law enforcement forces commanders, accusing them of being architects of the crackdown.
The U.S. also imposed sanctions on Fardis Prison, where the State Department said women had "endured cruel, inhuman, and degrading treatment."
Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent in a video on Thursday said Washington's message to Iran's leaders was clear, "U.S. Treasury knows, that like rats on a sinking ship, you are frantically wiring funds stolen from Iranian families to banks and financial institutions around the world. Rest assured, we will track them and you."
"But there's still time, if you choose to join us. As President Trump has said, stop the violence and stand with the people of Iran," Bessent added.
Iran's mission to the United Nations in New York did not immediately respond to a request for comment. Iran's rulers have blamed their longtime foes the U.S. and Israel for fomenting the unrest.
Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian also said on Thursday the government was trying to address some of the economic problems that first spurred the protests, saying it intended to tackle issues of corruption and foreign exchange rates and that this would improve purchasing power for poorer people.
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China's three largest state-owned airlines have issued warnings regarding their financial outlook for the current year, acknowledging that the eruption of war involving Iran has driven jet fuel prices to unsustainable highs.
The European Union's top diplomat Kaja Kallas and several EU foreign ministers arrived in Kyiv on Tuesday to mark the fourth anniversary of the Bucha massacre and to voice their support for Ukraine, amid tensions within the bloc over blocked EU aid.
Start your day informed with the AnewZ Morning Brief. Here are the top stories for 31 March, covering the latest developments you need to know.
U.S. President Donald Trump has said that the U.S is in talks with the new Iranian regime. He said this in a post on his Truth Social account but warned that the U.S. will "Obliterate" Iran's electric and oil facilities if no deal is reached, especially regarding the Strait of Hormuz closure.
Cuba and the United States have been at odds for more than six decades, with tensions rooted in the 1959 revolution that transformed the island’s political and economic system. Renewed focus on relations comes as Donald Trump’s rhetoric intensifies and conditions on the island worsen.
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A senior Iranian military officer warned that American troops will become ‘food for sharks’ on Sunday if the U.S. launches a ground offensive in Iran. The threat came as contingents of U.S. Marines began to arrive in the Middle East, with thousands expected to be deployed in the region.
The Israeli military said on Monday that Iran launched multiple waves of missiles at Israel, and an attack had also been launched from Yemen for the second time since the U.S.-Israeli war began on Tehran. It said two drones from Yemen were intercepted early 30 March but gave no further details.
The European Union's top diplomat Kaja Kallas and several EU foreign ministers arrived in Kyiv on Tuesday to mark the fourth anniversary of the Bucha massacre and to voice their support for Ukraine, amid tensions within the bloc over blocked EU aid.
Start your day informed with the AnewZ Morning Brief. Here are the top stories for 31 March, covering the latest developments you need to know.
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Russia has expelled a British diplomat, accusing him of economic espionage in a move that further strains already tense relations between Moscow and London. The United Kingdom described the action as intimidation and rejected the allegations outright, Reuters reports.
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