Washington: US President Donald Trump signalled a de-escalation of tensions with Iran on Friday, stating he had received assurances that the Iranian regime halted its violent crackdown on protesters and cancelled hundreds of scheduled executions.

Trump Acknowledges Execution Halt

Speaking to reporters earlier at the White House, Trump announced that "very important sources on the other side" informed him that the mass killing of demonstrators had ceased. "They've said the killing has stopped and the executions won't take place," Trump said, referring to reports that hundreds of participants in the nationwide unrest were facing imminent death sentences.

White House Reports 800 Cancelled Hangings

White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt confirmed Thursday that the administration believes approximately 800 scheduled executions were halted on Jan. 14 following direct warnings of "grave consequences" from President Trump. Trump carried the same sentiments in his Truth Social post on Friday.

The administration had previously warned it was "locked and loaded" to intervene if the regime proceeded with the capital punishment of protesters. Among the cases highlighted was 26-year-old Erfan Soltani, whose family confirmed his execution was postponed despite a rapid trial.

Iranian Denials and Diplomatic Pressure

Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi denied the existence of any execution plans during an interview with Fox News, labelling reports of mass hangings as part of a "misinformation campaign." Despite the denial, regional allies, including Saudi Arabia, Qatar, and Oman, reportedly led a frantic diplomatic effort to convince Trump to delay military strikes in exchange for Iranian restraint. The de-escalatory rhetoric caused global oil prices to plunge as fears of a looming energy supply shock eased.