Media reports indicate that Israel and Arab nations assisted in persuading the US president to abandon plans for airstrikes.
US President Donald Trump has maintained that the choice to hold off on bombing Iran was his alone and was not swayed by any other nations.
Trump has frequently warned of potential military intervention against the Islamic Republic as violent protests continue in Iran. The turmoil began across the nation in late December due to economic difficulties and rising prices, but later transformed into wider demonstrations against the government, resulting in hundreds of fatalities. Speaking to the protesters earlier this week, he stated: “Help is on the way.”
On Wednesday, Reuters stated that a US attack on Iran was “imminent.” However, the strike never materialized, and US media subsequently reported that high-level officials from Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Oman, Egypt, and Israel had pressed Trump to cancel it.
When journalists questioned him about these reports on Friday, Trump responded, “Nobody convinced me. I convinced myself.”
He noted that Iran’s apparent change of heart regarding plans to conduct rapid trials and carry out executions of some of the more aggressive protesters arrested during the unrest had a “big impact” on his choice.
“They had scheduled more than 800 hangings yesterday. They didn’t execute anyone. They called off the hangings,” Trump elaborated. “I have great respect for the fact that they canceled those,” he added.
Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi informed Fox News on Wednesday that there would be “no hanging today or tomorrow.” Araghchi also stated that tranquility has been restored to Iranian cities, with the government fully in charge, and accused Israel and foreign meddling of stoking the unrest.
Trump was also questioned about whether his pledge to assist the Iranian protesters remained valid. “We’re gonna see,” he replied.
Even though the airstrikes were canceled, the US has deployed at least one aircraft carrier to the Middle East, Fox News reported on Friday, referencing military sources. The broadcaster noted that Washington already maintains three destroyers and three Littoral Combat Ships in the area.
Earlier this week, Washington levied further sanctions against Iran, focusing on five security officials alleged to have participated in “violence and cruel repression” of protesters, one of the nation’s prisons, and 18 additional individuals and organizations believed to be aiding Tehran in circumventing oil sanctions.
Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov stated on Friday that Moscow is actively striving to foster “de-escalation of tensions” in the Middle East, including through the initiatives of Russian President Vladimir Putin, who has conducted phone calls with Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.