Trump Warns Iran as Fears Mount Over U.S. Military Intervention
WASHINGTON — President Donald Trump said Wednesday he believes Iran has no plans for mass executions of anti-government protesters and that killings during the brutal crackdown appear to be declining, even as he left the door open to possible U.S. military action.
Speaking at an Oval Office event, Trump cited “very important sources on the other side” in assessing the situation, though he stopped short of ruling out American strikes. “We are going to watch what the process is,” he said, adding that his administration had received “a very good statement” from Iran.
Military Action Could Backfire, Analysts Warn
The comments come amid escalating tensions in the Middle East, where regional powers are increasingly alarmed about the prospect of U.S. intervention. Experts and diplomats warn that military strikes could paradoxically strengthen Iran’s regime by allowing it to frame protests as foreign-backed insurgency, potentially triggering a wider crackdown.
“In every conversation they are having with the Americans and Iranians, [Gulf governments] have been asking them to calm down,” said a regional diplomat who spoke on condition of anonymity. “Gulf Arab governments are freaking out over possible U.S. strikes.”
Chaos, Not Collapse, Could Follow Strikes
Even more troubling, analysts say, is the possibility that U.S. intervention could accelerate regime collapse without any plan for what comes next in the nation of 90 million people.
“We have restive ethnic minorities. We have loose undeclared fissile materials. We have dispersed missile stocks with no command and control,” said Behnam Ben Taleblu of the Foundation for the Defense of Democracies. “All the fears that would come with regime change would be expedited.”
Such a scenario could unleash Kurdish and Baluch separatist movements, leave Iran’s nuclear program unsecured, and trigger massive refugee flows across the region.
Iran Denies Execution Plans
Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araqchi pushed back against reports of planned mass executions in an interview with Fox News. “There is no plan for hanging at all,” he told host Bret Baier. “Hanging is out of the question.”
However, the death toll from Iran’s crackdown continues to climb. While an Iranian official acknowledged more than 2,000 deaths since protests erupted on December 28, a rights group puts the figure above 2,600. Many experts believe the true number is significantly higher.
Biggest Challenge Since 1979 Revolution
The nationwide protests represent the most serious threat to Iran’s clerical establishment since it seized power in the 1979 Islamic Revolution. Massive crowds across the country have demanded the government’s ouster, frequently clashing with security forces.
Despite the scale of unrest, U.S. intelligence assessments this week concluded that while the protests pose a serious challenge, the Iranian government does not appear close to collapse, according to four knowledgeable sources.
Retaliatory Strikes Feared
As tensions rise, the U.S. has begun withdrawing some personnel from bases in the region. The moves came after a senior Iranian official warned neighboring countries that American military installations would be targeted if the U.S. launches strikes.
