‘No such number exists’: Iran debunks Donald Trump’s halted 800 executions claim

Iran has rejected US President Donald Trump’s claim that his intervention stopped the execution of more than 800 detainees, with Tehran’s judiciary calling the assertion “completely false” and insisting no such figure was ever under consideration.Also read: Trump reacts to Iran’s execution halt; claims over 800 hangings cancelledIran’s top prosecutor, Mohammad Movahedi, dismissed the statement in remarks carried by Mizan, the judiciary’s news agency. “This claim is completely false; no such number exists, nor has the judiciary made any such decision,” he said. His comments came after Trump wrote that Iranian authorities had cancelled “over 800” scheduled hangings, thanking the country’s leadership and suggesting the move reduced the likelihood of US military action.This comes against the backdrop of Iran’s sweeping crackdown on nationwide protests, which activists say has led to thousands of deaths and tens of thousands of arrests. The US-based Human Rights Activists News Agency put the death toll at 5,002, including protesters, security personnel, children and civilians, and said more than 26,800 people had been detained. Iran’s government has given a lower figure of 3,117 dead, describing many of those killed as “terrorists”. Independent verification remains difficult due to a prolonged internet blackout and restrictions on reporting.Trump has previously warned that the killing of peaceful demonstrators and mass executions would cross US “red lines”, as American naval assets, including an aircraft carrier strike group, moved closer to the region. He said Iran’s alleged decision to halt executions had a “big impact” on his thinking, adding that he had convinced himself to step back from immediate military action.