Trump thanks Iran for a gesture of cooperation, but his sudden praise is raising eyebrows

President Trump publicly thanked the Iranian government after reports indicated it had decided against carrying out mass executions of political prisoners. The development drew attention because it followed days of escalating rhetoric in which the president suggested the United States might consider military action if the executions went forward.

As reported by the Associated Press, Trump addressed the situation while departing the White House for the weekend at his Mar-a-Lago estate in Palm Beach, Florida. He told reporters that Iran had “canceled the hanging of over 800 people” and said he “greatly respect[s] the fact that they canceled.”

The president also echoed the message on his social media platform, posting a brief “Thank you!” following his remarks. The comments marked a sharp shift in tone after earlier warnings tied to Iran’s response to nationwide protests.

The abrupt change followed reports of canceled executions

Trump’s remarks suggested that the likelihood of US military action had diminished in response to Iran halting the executions. Earlier in the week, he had posted a message to Iranian protesters indicating that “Help is on the way,” but when asked whether that promise still applied, he offered a more reserved reply, saying, “Well, we’re going to see.” The president’s evolving approach to Iran comes amid broader back-and-forth in Washington, including coverage about how Trump weighs his options on Iran after the evacuation at the Qatar base and about how Trump considered striking Iran before military officials counseled a delay.

When pressed on whether foreign officials had influenced his change in position, Trump denied any outside pressure. He said the decision was his alone and tied it directly to the reported cancellation of the hangings. “You had yesterday scheduled over 800 hangings,” Trump said. “They didn’t hang anyone. They canceled the hangings. That had a big impact.”

The president did not specify who within Iran had confirmed the status of the executions, leaving uncertainty about how the information was verified. His praise came amid a broader crackdown that has already resulted in thousands of deaths, according to human rights groups.

Demonstrations that began on December 28 over economic conditions and later evolved into challenges to Iran’s ruling system appear to have subsided. In Tehran, daily life has largely returned to normal, and no protests have been reported for several days.

A week-long internet shutdown has continued to limit communication for activists, even as reports of casualties persist. A US-based human rights organization said Friday that at least 2,797 people had been killed during the unrest.