Iran's nationwide protests appear to be dying down following a brutal crackdown by authorities, residents said on Friday. Despite US President Donald Trump vowing "strong action" against Iran if killings continued, mass executions that were supposed to take place yesterday have been cancelled.
The Iranian government has not publicly announced any plans for these executions or confirmed they had cancelled them. The cancellation came after Trump posted a message of gratitude from the leadership of Iran on social media, which many saw as an attempt to downplay his earlier threats.
In reality, more than 2,000 people were killed in the worst domestic unrest since Iran's Islamic Revolution in 1979. However, several residents of Tehran said that the capital had been quiet for four days, with drones flying over the city but no signs of major protests on Thursday or Friday.
The prospect of a US attack has retreated since Trump announced killings in Iran were easing, but more military assets are expected to arrive in the region, showing continued tensions. Diplomacy from allies like Saudi Arabia and Qatar is still underway to prevent a strike, which could have repercussions for the wider Middle East.
Iran's last shah's son, Reza Pahlavi, called on the international community to increase pressure on Tehran to help protesters overthrow clerical rule. Trump expressed uncertainty about whether the exiled royal heir could gain significant backing inside Iran.
Despite the crackdown, sporadic unrest continues in some areas. A female nurse was reportedly killed by government forces during protests in Karaj, west of Tehran, and rioters set fire to a local education office in central Isfahan Province on Thursday.
The death toll reported by human rights groups remains at 2,677 people, including 2,478 protesters and 163 affiliated with the government. However, it's unclear whether these numbers are accurate given the Iranian government's tight control over information.
With the situation continuing to unfold, one thing is clear: Iran's nationwide protests have taken a deadly turn, leaving hundreds dead and the country reeling under the weight of its own brutality.
The Iranian government has not publicly announced any plans for these executions or confirmed they had cancelled them. The cancellation came after Trump posted a message of gratitude from the leadership of Iran on social media, which many saw as an attempt to downplay his earlier threats.
In reality, more than 2,000 people were killed in the worst domestic unrest since Iran's Islamic Revolution in 1979. However, several residents of Tehran said that the capital had been quiet for four days, with drones flying over the city but no signs of major protests on Thursday or Friday.
The prospect of a US attack has retreated since Trump announced killings in Iran were easing, but more military assets are expected to arrive in the region, showing continued tensions. Diplomacy from allies like Saudi Arabia and Qatar is still underway to prevent a strike, which could have repercussions for the wider Middle East.
Iran's last shah's son, Reza Pahlavi, called on the international community to increase pressure on Tehran to help protesters overthrow clerical rule. Trump expressed uncertainty about whether the exiled royal heir could gain significant backing inside Iran.
Despite the crackdown, sporadic unrest continues in some areas. A female nurse was reportedly killed by government forces during protests in Karaj, west of Tehran, and rioters set fire to a local education office in central Isfahan Province on Thursday.
The death toll reported by human rights groups remains at 2,677 people, including 2,478 protesters and 163 affiliated with the government. However, it's unclear whether these numbers are accurate given the Iranian government's tight control over information.
With the situation continuing to unfold, one thing is clear: Iran's nationwide protests have taken a deadly turn, leaving hundreds dead and the country reeling under the weight of its own brutality.
the fact that more than 2k people are already dead is just insane... I mean, we all knew things were gonna get ugly but like, 2k? 
it's not even a number you can process anymore... and now they're cancelling executions but I'm pretty sure they're still just gonna find ways to silence anyone who speaks out against them... the whole thing is just super messed up 
. It's crazy how quickly things can escalate, and now we're seeing more military assets arrive in the region 
️. I'm not sure what the US will do next, but it seems like diplomacy is still the way forward... for now 
. But those 2,677 deaths? Unbelievable 
. It's hard to comprehend the scale of the violence and how many lives have been lost 
.
I'm not surprised about this latest turn of events in Iran - when has Trump ever been good at handling complex situations? 
It's like he thinks threats are enough to get things done, but honestly who needs diplomacy and nuance when you can just post a bunch of tweets? 
And meanwhile, we're still seeing sporadic unrest all over the country... yeah, this whole thing is a total mess. 
. The way Trump's post was perceived by people in Iran, it's like he's walking on eggshells and not really sure what's gonna happen next 
.
. The international community needs to step up its game here, especially since the death toll keeps rising 
.
. We need to be supporting those who are speaking out against the regime and advocating for real change 
.
. It's like when you're in a relationship and your partner does something wrong - you need to speak up and address the issue, not just ignore it or try to sweep it under the rug 
.
my heart is heavy thinking about what's been happening in Iran... 2k+ people lost their lives, that's just heartbreaking 
I think it's kinda sick that trump cancelled those mass executions though 
Either way, it's clear the US has its eyes on Iran and we should keep watching this situation closely 
What do you guys think will happen next?
and trump's just playing it cool like he's the one calling the shots 
meanwhile the death toll is still rising and nobody knows what's really going on behind closed doors 
its just so messed up
. He can't really follow through on his threats without causing a huge war, and that would be bad for everyone involved. I mean, 2k+ people dead is not something you can just flip a switch on. It's like he thought the protests would magically disappear because he tweeted about it 
.
And what about all those drones flying over Tehran? Are they just, like, coincidence or is the government trying to keep an eye on everyone? 
! We need more transparency about the situation so we can understand what really went down 
. It didn't address the root cause of the problem or even acknowledge the severity of what's been happening in Iran. And now, with more military assets arriving, it just feels like we're setting the stage for another disaster. 
Let's hope that some sense can prevail and we can start seeing a way forward that works for everyone involved.