Protesters burn images of Ayatollah Ali Khamenei during a rally held in Solidarity with Iran's Uprising, organized by The National Council of Resistance of Iran, on Whitehall in central London Jan. 11, 2026. (Carlos Jasso/AFP via Getty Images)
IRAN STRIKES COULD SIGNAL LIMITS OF BEIJING, MOSCOW’S POWER AS US FLEXES STRENGTH
Movahedi is an Iranian cleric and judge who serves as the nation's prosecutor general. He previously warned that those taking part in the protests were "enemies of God," a crime punishable by death.
Iran's mission to the United Nations declined to comment on the discrepancy between Trump and Movahedi's claims. For News Digital also reached out to the State Department for more details and has not yet received a response.
A White House official said Trump "is watching the situation in Iran very seriously and all options are on the table if the regime executes protesters."
The official declined to say where Trump had learned executions were being halted but added: "As a result of President Trump’s warnings, Iranian protesters who were scheduled to be sentenced to death were not. As President Trump stated, he thinks this is good news and hopes this trend continues."
The denial reopens questions raised in the past week, when Trump publicly warned Iran and encouraged protesters by saying "help is on its way," setting expectations of U.S. action as security forces carried out a violent crackdown. U.S. and regional security officials said at the time that restraint reflected concern over retaliation against U.S. forces and allies — not a retreat from confrontation.
Trump has since argued that pressure worked, saying Iran backed away from planned executions after he warned of severe consequences. Iran’s rejection of that claim now sharpens the stakes, raising the prospect that Washington may soon face a test of whether it is prepared to act if executions resume — or risk its warnings being dismissed.
Trump on Thursday told reporters that a U.S. "armada" was heading toward Iran, signaling that Washington is prepared to escalate if the country continues executions or intensifies its crackdown.
Recalling a conversation with Iranian envoys, Trump said: "I said, if you hang those people, you're going to be hit harder than you've ever been hit."
Protests in Iran intensify for the 12th day. (The National Council of Resistance of Iran (NCRI) )
The deployment has renewed questions over whether the United States is prepared to intervene militarily if Iran resumes executions or continues its crackdown on protesters, which already has left thousands dead.
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Iranian state television has acknowledged that more than 3,000 people have been killed during the unrest, while activists and human rights groups say the true death toll is significantly higher — a discrepancy that underscores the regime’s tight control over information as international scrutiny intensifies.
By publicly tying U.S. military action to the fate of detained protesters, Trump has drawn a clear red line. Iran’s refusal to acknowledge U.S. pressure, even as American naval forces move closer, leaves little room for ambiguity — and raises the risk of escalation as both sides test each other’s resolve.
https://www.foxnews.com/politics/trump-threatens-iran-crushing-response-tehran-denies-halting-protest-executions