Donald Trump and Iran’s Supreme Leader
EA on International Outlets: The State of Iran’s Protests
EA-Byline Times Podcast: How Far Can Iran’s Protests Go?
UPDATES: Iran Protests Continue Despite Rising Death Toll
UPDATE 0735 GMT:
Iran’s judiciary has denied that Erfan Soltani was sentenced to death, rejecting the reports from his family that the execution had been set for Wednesday.
Donald Trump backed away from US military action yesterday as Soltani’s family said the hanging had been postponed.
The judiciary said Soltani, held at the central penitentiary in the city of Karaj and has been formally charged with “collusion against internal security” and “propaganda activities against the system”. It added that capital punishment does not apply to those charges under Iranian law.
UPDATE 0703 GMT:
Drawing from her contacts inside Iran, EA correspondent Deepa Parent speaks with The Guardian about the violence against protesters, from killings and serious woundings by security forces to the regime’s threat of executions.
ORIGINAL ENTRY: On the 18th day of Iran’s nationwide protests, Donald Trump has backed out of US military action.
After days of Trump’s declarations of American intervention, European and Israeli officials said on Wednesday that US strikes were expected within 24 hours. A series of countries closed their embassies and told citizens to leave the Islamic Republic.
But in a press appearance on Wednesday afternoon, Trump said he had assurances from “very important sources on the other side”:
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.
Asked if US military action was now off the table, he said he will “watch it and see”.
Trump did not identify who gave him the assurances.
Iranian officials did not comment on Trump’s statement. However, the family of protester Irfan Solani, whose execution was scheduled for Wednesday, was told that the hanging had been postponed.
Soltani, an employee at a clothing shop, was arrested northwest of Tehran last Thursday.
Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi told Fox TV that executions executions were not taking place and there would be “no hanging today or tomorrow”.
Meanwhile, the Norway-based Iran Human Rights, said at least 3,428 people have been killed — the vast majority of them protesters — and more than 10,000 arrested.
Trump Steps Back from Reza Pahlavi
Trump also held back from support of Reza Pahlavi, the son of the Shah overthrown by the 1979 Iranian Revolution, as the next leader in Tehran.
Pahlavi has been in discussions with Trump’s envoy, real estate developer Steve Witkoff.
Trump said the Shah’s son, 65, “seems very nice” but added:
I don’t know how he’d play within his own country. 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.
