Name: Whats next in Iran after Trump says killing of protesters stopped
Uploaded: 2026-01-15T01:57:55.816Z
Duration: 4 min 18 s
Description: President Trump says his administration has been notified that the killings and executions of anti-government protesters in Iran have stopped. CBS News Middle East reporter Courtney Kealy has more.

President Trump says his administration has been notified that the killings and executions of anti-government protesters in Iran have stopped. CBS News Middle East reporter Courtney Kealy has more.

Tehran

President Trump stated that his administration has been informed the killings and executions of protesters in Iran have stopped, despite warnings from human rights groups that executions could still occur. An internet blackout in Iran has made it difficult for journalists and rights organizations to independently verify the situation or monitor ongoing protests and government crackdowns.

CBS News sources estimate that at least 12,000 protesters have been killed, and while some scheduled executions have been postponed, there is no confirmation that they have been halted entirely. Residents in Tehran remain fearful, and the US and Israel have indicated they are not seeking offensive action, with Israel prepared to respond only if attacked.

What's next in Iran after Trump says killing of protesters 'stopped'

President Trump says administration has been notified that the killings and executions in Iran have stopped. Human rights groups warned the Iranian regime could begin hanging anti-government protesters as soon as today. Now Trump says if those executions do happen he'll be quote very upset. We've been notified and pretty strongly but we'll find out what that all means but we've been told that the killing in Iran is stopping and it's stopped and stopping and there's no plan for executions or an execution or executions so I've been told that a good authority will find out about it. I'm sure if happens we'll all be very upset including you will be a very upset but that's just gotten to me from information that the killing has stopped that the executions have stopped and not going to have an execution which a lot of people were talking about for the last couple of days today was going to be the day of execution. An ongoing internet blackout makes it difficult for journalists and rights groups to monitor the protests going on in Iran or the government's brutal crackdown on them. Now sources tell CBS News the number of protesters killed so far could be at least 12,000. So I want to bring in CBS News Middle East reporter Courtney Keeley. Courtney we have seen Trump's red line shift when it comes to US involvement. Now that he says the killing has stopped what are the likely next steps and how might Israel factor in? Well we've heard not that the killings have stopped but those massive killings from the protests and Thursdays and Thursday Friday into the weekend have clearly cleared the streets of protesters. People tell me that in Tehran they're still worried about bullets flying through their windows and that you know some friends elderly parents are worried about that and not sure how to take precautions. Now the executions today that were supposed to take place especially Irfan Soltani the 26 year old his family had been notified that would happen today. It did not happen today. Rights group says they've been postponed. The Iran's judiciary says there would be swift executions. It did not happen today. It does not mean that there's a stop to that however. We are hearing that Israel's on the defensive. They'll let the US take the lead in this according to sources that I've spoken to. They're not interested in the offensive but if attacked according to Netanyahu the reply and the result after that would be very severe. Do you believe the collapse of the Iranian regime would presumably lead to a level of chaos some level of chaos and does Iran have organized leadership that's capable of offering some sort of alternative? Well Iran is just a different equation than say an Iraq which had the Sunnis and the Shiites and and and then like in Syria you have the Druze and this is more of a complex makeup. In Iran there are ethnic groups and the minority but they did take to the protest the Kurds and others. They were out in all 31 provinces all Iranians of different ages obviously especially the youth but you're really still suffering from the blackouts. People with Starlink terminals are afraid that people come to their door and people who have wounded being sent to hospitals have been worried that people would come and remove those wounded. So it has not quieted down has not gotten safer but there have been less protests although we are still still seeing a little bit. It's not necessarily martial that martial law has been declared but it's a kind of martial law and we know that the US and the administration right now isn't interested in other Iraq or Afghanistan or any kind of military occupation but we have to see how they would work with us and Israel like I said not on the offensive on the defensive. Courtney thank you so much.

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