Trump Claims Killings in Iran Have Stopped
President Trump asserted that violence in Iran is beginning to diminish amid ongoing protests and U.S. military pressure. Former senior director of the National Security Council, Michael Allen, joined a discussion to challenge Trump’s remarks.
Pro-government demonstrators in Iran were showcased in state media on Thursday, shouting slogans like “death to America” and displaying signs calling for Trump’s assassination. This event, observed at Tehran University, saw some attendees holding images of Ayatollah Khamenei alongside makeshift signs referencing a recent assassination attempt in Pennsylvania. Notably, some signs included Arabic phrases translating to “No mistakes this time,” while others implied with English captions, “Arrows don’t always miss.”
The protests are unfolding against a backdrop of significant economic turmoil in Iran, with humanitarian organizations estimating that over 2,000 protesters have been killed—though the real number could be higher.
On a related note, Iran appeared to reopen its airspace after a surprise overnight closure, which had interrupted flights in the area for five hours as reported by aviation monitors.
Trump, speaking to reporters in the Oval Office, mentioned that he had received information suggesting that the killings in Iran were “stopping.” He remarked, “We’re on very strong notice, and we’ll see what that means. But we’re hearing that the killings are stopping in Iran.”
As demonstrations entered their 18th day, authorities still maintained a near-total internet blackout. According to reports from the Human Rights Activists News Agency, there have been 617 protests spanning 187 cities, leading to at least 18,470 arrests and confirming 2,615 fatalities, including 2,435 among the protesters, of which 13 were children under 18.
Trump has warned Tehran through various posts to cease its violent actions against its citizens and has indicated that the U.S. is prepared to take action, stating, “We are locked, loaded and ready to go.”
