Trump Claims Iran Has 'No Plan' for Executions, Yet US Trims Regional Military Presence

The killing has stopped, but the threat of military action hasn't vanished. President Donald Trump stated on January 15, 2026, that Tehran has "no plan" to execute protesters, though he's still refusing to rule out US military action against the country.

Trump Iran Military Action 2026: Strategic Patience at Al-Udeid

Speaking from the White House, Trump cited "very important sources" claiming the violent crackdown is subsiding. This follows a tense week where Erfan Soltani, a 26-year-old shop owner, was reportedly scheduled for execution. While his family confirmed the hanging has been postponed, the US and UK aren't taking chances. They've begun a "precautionary" withdrawal of personnel from the Al-Udeid air base in Qatar.

Al-Udeid is the largest US military hub in the Middle East, housing roughly 10,000 personnel. The scale of the withdrawal remains unclear, but it coincides with the British embassy in Tehran shifting to remote operations. Airlines like Lufthansa have already rerouted flights to avoid Iranian airspace entirely.

Rising Human Cost and Tehran's Defiance

The Human Rights Activists News Agency (HRANA) has confirmed 2,435 protester deaths since the crisis began three weeks ago. Among the dead are 13 children. Despite these numbers, Iran's Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi told Fox News that "hanging is out of the question."

Araghchi's warning refers to the June 2025 bombing of Iranian nuclear sites. Meanwhile, Trump continues to encourage demonstrators via Truth Social, promising that "help is on its way" while maintaining a distance from formal opposition figures like Reza Pahlavi.