Protests in Iran appear to have largely subsided for now following a deadly security crackdown, residents said on Friday, while U.S. President Donald Trump claimed that Iranian authorities had cancelled plans for mass executions of protesters. 

According to residents contacted by Reuters, major demonstrations that erupted late last month have slowed in recent days, particularly in Tehran and other key cities. State media, however, reported that arrests were continuing, even as tensions remained high amid repeated warnings from the United States that it could intervene if killings did not stop. 

U.S. President Donald Trump said Iran’s leadership had called off mass hangings that he claimed were planned. Trump had earlier warned of “very strong action” if Iran carried out executions of protesters. 

“I greatly respect the fact that all scheduled hangings, which were to take place yesterday (Over 800 of them), have been cancelled by the leadership of Iran. Thank you!” Trump posted on social media. 

Iranian authorities have not publicly announced any plans for mass executions, nor have they confirmed cancelling such actions. 

The protests began on December 28, initially driven by anger over economic hardship. They soon expanded into widespread demonstrations calling for an end to clerical rule. The unrest escalated sharply toward the end of last week, resulting in mass violence across several regions. According to opposition groups and an Iranian official, more than 2,000 people were killed, making it the deadliest period of domestic unrest since Iran’s 1979 Islamic Revolution. 

Despite the scale of the violence, several residents in Tehran told Reuters that the capital had been relatively calm for the past four days. They said drones were flying over the city, but there were no signs of major protests on Thursday or Friday. A resident from a northern city near the Caspian Sea also said streets there appeared calm. All residents spoke on condition of anonymity due to safety concerns. 

The likelihood of a U.S. military attack appeared to diminish after Wednesday, when Trump said he had been informed that killings in Iran were easing. Still, a U.S. official said additional American military assets were expected to arrive in the region, underlining continued tensions. The official, speaking on condition of anonymity, said the exact timing and composition of these forces remained unclear. 

The U.S. military’s Central Command declined to comment, stating it does not discuss ship movements. 

U.S. allies, including Saudi Arabia and Qatar, engaged in intense diplomatic efforts with Washington this week to prevent a possible U.S. strike. A Gulf official said they warned that military action could have serious consequences for the wider region and eventually affect the United States itself. 

Israel’s intelligence Chief David Barnea was also in the United States on Friday for discussions on Iran, according to a source familiar with the matter. An Israeli military official said the country’s forces were on “peak readiness”. 

As Iran’s internet blackout eased, more details about the violence began to emerge. One woman in Tehran told Reuters by phone that her daughter was killed a week earlier after taking part in a protest near their home. 

“She was 15 years old. She was not a terrorist, not a rioter. Basij forces followed her as she was trying to return home,” the woman said, referring to the volunteer militia often used by authorities to suppress unrest. 

Reza Pahlavi, the U.S.-based son of Iran’s last shah, called on the international community to increase pressure on Tehran to support protesters seeking to overthrow clerical rule. 

“The Iranian people are taking decisive action on the ground. It is now time for the international community to join them fully,” Pahlavi said. 

His level of support inside Iran remains unclear. Trump appeared to play down the idea of U.S. backing for Pahlavi earlier this week, expressing doubts about whether the exiled royal figure could gain significant support within the country. Pahlavi met U.S. envoy Steve Witkoff last weekend, Axios reported. 

Norway-based Iranian-Kurdish rights group Hengaw said there had been no protest gatherings since Sunday, but warned that the security situation remained tight. 

“Our independent sources confirm a heavy military and security presence in cities and towns where protests previously took place, as well as in several locations that did not experience major demonstrations,” Hengaw said. 

Despite the overall lull, signs of unrest persisted in some areas. Hengaw reported that a female nurse was killed by direct gunfire from government forces during protests in Karaj, west of Tehran. Reuters could not independently verify the report. 

State-affiliated Tasnim news outlet said rioters set fire to a local education office in Falavarjan County, in central Isfahan Province, on Thursday. 

An elderly resident from Iran’s northwestern region, home to many Kurdish Iranians and a hotspot for unrest, said sporadic protests were still taking place, though with less intensity. 

“I have not seen scenes like that before,” she said, recalling earlier violence. 

Video verified by Reuters, reportedly filmed at a forensic medical center in Tehran, showed dozens of bodies lying on floors and stretchers, most in bags and some uncovered. Reuters could not confirm when the video was recorded. 

State-owned Press TV quoted Iran’s police chief as saying calm had been restored nationwide. 

The U.S.-based rights group HRANA said the death toll had reached 2,677, including 2,478 protesters and 163 people identified as affiliated with the government. Reuters has not independently verified these figures. An Iranian official earlier told Reuters that around 2,000 people had been killed. 

These casualty figures far exceed those recorded during previous major unrest in Iran, including protests in 2009 and 2022.