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WASHINGTON — <\/span>President Donald Trump made a vague statement Wednesday that he\u2019s been told \u201con good authority\u201d that plans for executions in Iran have stopped, even as Tehran has indicated fast trials and executions ahead in its crackdown on protesters<\/a>.<\/p>\n The U.S. president\u2019s claims, which were made with few details, come as he\u2019s told protesting Iranians in recent days that \u201chelp is on the way\u201d and that his administration would \u201cact accordingly\u201d to respond to the Iranian government. But Trump has not offered any details about how the U.S. might respond and it wasn\u2019t clear if his comments Wednesday indicated he would hold off on action.<\/p>\n \u201cWe\u2019ve been told that the killing in Iran is stopping — it\u2019s stopped — it\u2019s stopping,\u201d Trump said at the White House while signing executive orders and legislation. \u201cAnd there\u2019s no plan for executions, or an execution, or executions — so I\u2019ve been told that on good authority.\u201d<\/p>\n Trump did not specify where he had received that information but only described it as \u201cvery important sources on the other side.\u201d<\/p>\n Trump said he would \u201cfind out\u201d later if it was true, but he didn’t explain how. <\/p>\n \u201cI hope it\u2019s true,” he said. “Who knows?\u201d<\/p>\n When asked if that meant he was not planning to take any action against the Iranian government, Trump said: \u201cWe\u2019re going to watch it and see what the process is. But we were given a very good statement by people that are aware of what\u2019s going on.\u201d<\/p>\n The president on Tuesday consulted with his national security team about next steps after telling reporters he believed the killing in Iran was \u201csignificant.\u201d<\/p>\n Vice President JD Vance, Secretary of State Marco Rubio and key White House National Security Council officials began meeting last Friday to develop options for Trump, ranging from a diplomatic approach to military strikes.<\/p>\n The Iranian security force crackdown on the demonstrations has killed at least 2,586, the U.S.-based Human Rights Activists News Agency reported.<\/p>\n On Wednesday, Iranian officials signaled that suspects detained in nationwide protests<\/a> would face fast trials and executions while the Islamic Republic promised a \u201cdecisive response\u201d if the U.S. or Israel intervene in the domestic unrest.<\/p>\n The threats emerged as some personnel at a key U.S. military base in Qatar<\/a> were advised to evacuate by Wednesday evening following Trump\u2019s escalated warnings of potential military action<\/a> over the killing of peaceful demonstrators.<\/p>\n Mohammad Pakpour, commander of Iran\u2019s paramilitary Revolutionary Guard<\/a>, reiterated Iranian claims, without providing evidence, that the U.S. and Israel have instigated the protests and that they are the real killers of protesters and security forces who have died in the turmoil, according to Iran\u2019s semiofficial Tasnim news agency.<\/p>\n He added that those countries will \u201creceive the response in the appropriate time.\u201d<\/p>\n Earlier Wednesday, Gholamhossein Mohseni-Ejei, Iran\u2019s judiciary chief, said the government must act quickly to punish more than 18,000 people who have been detained through rapid trials and executions. Mohseni-Ejei\u2019s comments about rapid trials and executions were made in a video shared by Iranian state television online.<\/p>\n \u201cIf we want to do a job, we should do it now. If we want to do something, we have to do it quickly,\u201d he said. \u201cIf it becomes late, two months, three months later, it doesn\u2019t have the same effect. If we want to do something, we have to do that fast.\u201d<\/p>\n The comments stand as a direct challenge to Trump, who warned Iran about executions<\/a> in an interview with CBS aired Tuesday. \u201cIf they do such a thing, we will take very strong action,\u201d Trump said.<\/p>\n ___<\/p>\n Amiri reported from New York. <\/p>\n<\/div>\n