Tehran Prosecutor Denies Trump's Claim of 800 Canceled Executions

Why does Trump insist Iran has stopped executing protesters when their own chief prosecutor says executions are continuing? Just last week, a senior security official in Iran said they would be doing expedited trials for the protesters they arrested, followed by speedy executions. Where in the world is Presisdent Trump?

Tehran's Prosecutor General Ali Salehi dismissed U.S. President Donald Trump's assertion that Iran halted 800 planned executions of protesters, calling it inaccurate during an appearance on state television. Salehi stated that numerous cases related to the protests which erupted late December 2025 and continued into January 2026, sparked by economic hardships and demands for greater freedoms, have already been indicted and are proceeding to court.

Trump's claim originated from a post on Truth Social, where he expressed "great respect" for Iran's leadership canceling the executions, crediting his administration's threats with the pause. The White House has cited intelligence reports suggesting planned executions were indeed halted due to these warnings. However, no independent verification exists, and Iranian officials have outright rejected the narrative.

Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei escalated the rhetoric, branding Trump a "criminal" for supporting the demonstrations, which he accused of being part of a U.S.-orchestrated conspiracy. The protests, Iran's most significant in recent years, have reportedly slowed under a severe security crackdown, resulting in thousands of deaths and hundreds of arrests.