Iran’s Prosecutor Denies Trump Claim of Halted Protester Executions as Trump Threatens Harsher Strikes and Announces 'Armada' Deployment
Iran’s top prosecutor Mohammad Movahedi called President Trump’s claim that Tehran halted or canceled the executions of “over 800” detained protesters “completely false,” saying no such judicial decision exists and suggesting the figure may have come from the foreign ministry while stressing the judiciary does not take instructions from foreign powers. The White House and Trump insist his warnings spared detainees, even as he threatened “crushing” retaliation and announced a U.S. “armada” en route, amid disputed activist casualty counts in the thousands and growing international concern over possible wider regional escalation.
📌 Key Facts
- President Trump publicly said Iran "canceled" or "called off" more than 800 scheduled hangings after his warnings, at one point saying the postponement occurred "an hour before" executions were to occur and praising Iran's leadership for the move.
- Iran’s prosecutor general, Mohammad Movahedi, formally denied Trump’s claim as "completely false," saying no such number or judiciary decision exists, that the judiciary does not take instructions from foreign powers, and suggesting the figure may have originated in the foreign ministry.
- The White House, including a senior official and press secretary Karoline Leavitt, insisted demonstrators who were set to be sentenced to death were not executed as a result of Trump’s warnings and reiterated that all options remain on the table if Iran carries out executions.
- Trump threatened harsher military retaliation if Iran hangs protesters, saying a U.S. "armada" is heading toward the region and warning that U.S. strikes could make past attacks on Iran’s nuclear facilities "look like peanuts."
- Activist and official tallies of deaths from the crackdown diverge and have risen: U.S.-based Human Rights Activists News Agency (HRANA) and other activists gave progressively higher counts (previously ~2,677 and ~3,090), with activists later citing at least 5,032 deaths, while Iran’s official tally was reported as 3,117 and the regime labels some victims "terrorists."
- Iran has intensified its crackdown on protests, including a near‑total internet blackout since Jan. 8, and reporters note protests have been largely suppressed with no new demonstrations in Tehran for days and an uneasy return toward normal life.
- Hard‑line clerics and Friday prayer leaders in Tehran — including Ayatollah Ahmad Khatami and Mohammad Javad Haji Ali Akbari — publicly demanded the death penalty for detained protesters, labeled protesters "Trump’s soldiers" and were broadcast on state radio amid chants of "Armed hypocrites should be put to death!"
- UN human‑rights chief Volker Türk expressed concern about contradictory Iranian statements on executing detainees and noted at least 1,500 executions in Iran last year, a roughly 50% increase over 2024.
- Regional diplomats from Egypt, Oman, Saudi Arabia and Qatar privately warned Trump that direct U.S. military intervention in Iran could destabilize the region and the global economy, and analysts (the Soufan Center) say Trump appears to have partially backtracked under regional pressure though U.S. force movements mean kinetic action still remains possible.
📰 Source Timeline (6)
Follow how coverage of this story developed over time
January 23, 2026
7:18 PM
Iran's top prosecutor criticizes Trump's announcement that 800+ executions were halted: 'Completely false'
New information:
- Fox/this article reproduces Trump’s exact Truth Social wording thanking Iran’s leadership for canceling 'over 800' scheduled hangings.
- It quotes Iran’s top prosecutor Mohammad Movahedi saying Trump’s claim is 'completely false; no such number exists, nor has the judiciary made any such decision,' and stressing Iran does not take instructions from foreign powers.
- A White House official tells Fox News Digital that after Trump’s warnings, 'demonstrators who were set to be sentenced to death there were not,' and says all options remain available if Iran executes protesters.
- Press secretary Karoline Leavitt is quoted reiterating that Trump warned Tehran of 'grave consequences' if the killings continue.
- The piece repeats the competing death‑toll figures: 5,032 deaths in the crackdown cited by U.S.-based HRANA versus Iran’s official tally of 3,117, with the regime labeling some victims 'terrorists.'
7:10 PM
Trump threatens Iran with crushing response as Tehran denies halting protest executions
New information:
- Mohammad Movahedi, Iran’s prosecutor general, explicitly calls Trump’s assertion that Tehran canceled executions of up to 800 protesters under U.S. pressure 'completely false' and says no such number or decision exists.
- A White House official, while declining to detail the sourcing, insists that 'as a result of President Trump’s warnings, Iranian protesters who were scheduled to be sentenced to death were not,' doubling down on the U.S. version despite Iran’s denial.
- Trump tells reporters a U.S. 'armada' is heading toward Iran and warns that if Tehran hangs protesters, U.S. retaliation will make what was done to Iran’s nuclear facilities 'look like peanuts.'
- The piece recounts Trump’s claim that 'an hour before' executions were to occur, Iran not only postponed but 'canceled' them, framing that as proof his threats worked.
3:48 PM
Iran's top prosecutor denies Trump's claim 800 prisoners were spared execution
New information:
- Iran’s top prosecutor Mohammad Movahedi, via the judiciary’s Mizan agency, explicitly called Trump’s claim that Iran halted the execution of 800 detained protesters 'completely false' and said 'no such number exists.'
- Movahedi suggested the 800 figure may have come from Iran’s Foreign Ministry under Abbas Araghchi, emphasizing that the judiciary does not take instructions from foreign powers and asserting separation of powers.
- Activists now put the death toll from Iran’s protest crackdown at at least 5,032, higher than some prior activist tallies referenced in earlier coverage.
- UN human-rights chief Volker Türk told a special Human Rights Council session he is concerned about contradictory Iranian statements on executing detainees and noted at least 1,500 executions in Iran last year, a 50% increase over 2024.
- The Soufan Center assessed that although Trump appears to have partially backtracked on immediate strikes—likely under regional pressure and given the limits of air power—ongoing U.S. force movements mean 'kinetic action may still happen.'
- Tehran Friday prayer leader Mohammad Javad Haji Ali Akbari publicly mocked Trump in harsh terms, underscoring the regime’s rhetorical posture amid the standoff.
January 17, 2026
12:44 AM
No sign of new protests in Iran as a hard-line cleric calls for executions
New information:
- Reports that protests have been largely suppressed, with no new demonstrations in Tehran for days and daily life returning to an uneasy normal amid a week‑old near‑total internet blackout.
- President Trump is quoted telling reporters that 'Iran canceled the hanging of over 800 people' and saying he 'greatly respect[s] the fact that they canceled,' while not clarifying his source.
- The U.S.-based Human Rights Activists News Agency now puts the protest death toll at 3,090, described as higher than any unrest in Iran in decades and recalling 1979‑era turmoil.
- Ayatollah Ahmad Khatami’s Friday sermon is carried by Iranian state radio with chants of 'Armed hypocrites should be put to death!' and he labels protesters 'Trump’s soldiers' and 'butlers' of Netanyahu while warning Americans and Israelis not to 'expect peace.'
- Context that regional actors — including Egypt, Oman, Saudi Arabia and Qatar — are privately warning Trump that U.S. intervention could destabilize the global economy and region.
January 16, 2026
3:41 PM
Prayer leader in Iran and the faithful call for executions over protests, a red line for Trump
New information:
- Clarifies that executions of detained protesters, along with the killing of peaceful demonstrators, are two of the 'red lines' President Trump has laid down for possible U.S. military action against Iran.
- Reports that Khatami’s latest Friday sermon in Tehran explicitly demanded the death penalty for detained protesters and was broadcast nationwide on state radio, prompting chants of 'Armed hypocrites should be put to death!' from worshipers.
- Reiterates that Iranian authorities cut off internet access on Jan. 8 and intensified the crackdown, with the U.S.-based Human Rights Activists News Agency now estimating at least 2,677 people killed since protests began Dec. 28.
- Details that at a U.N. Security Council session, U.S. Ambassador Mike Waltz said Trump 'has made it clear that all options are on the table to stop the slaughter,' while Iran’s deputy U.N. ambassador accused Washington of fomenting unrest.
- Notes that a diplomat told AP that top officials from Egypt, Oman, Saudi Arabia and Qatar privately warned Trump that direct U.S. military intervention in Iran could destabilize the region and shake the global economy.
- Provides additional background on Khatami’s past hard‑line statements, including maintaining the death fatwa against Salman Rushdie and threatening in 2018 that Iran could 'raze Tel Aviv and Haifa to the ground' with missiles.