00:00Good evening. We begin tonight with breaking developments out of Iran and Washington,
00:05where former President Donald Trump says U.S. pressure helped stop executions and save lives,
00:10as Iran signals it will not carry out death sentences against protesters.
00:15The claims come as the U.S. evacuates personnel from a major military base in the Middle East,
00:20and the United Nations holds an emergency meeting over Iran's deadly crackdown.
00:25Here's what we know tonight. Former President Donald Trump says Iran has stepped back from
00:31executing protesters after strong warnings from the United States. Speaking by phone to NBC News,
00:37Trump said, quote, we saved a lot of lives yesterday. But he would not say whether the U.S.
00:43is preparing for military action. When asked directly, Trump replied, I'm not going to tell
00:49you that. The comments come as tensions rise across the region. The U.S. has begun moving
00:55key personnel out of its largest military base in the Middle East. Officials say the move is a safety
01:01step as concerns grow over possible conflict. At the same time, the United Nations Security Council
01:07met in an emergency session, called by the United States, to discuss Iran's response to mass protests
01:13and reports of widespread killings. Tonight, attention is focused on one protester whose case
01:19has drawn global concern. 26-year-old Erfan Sultani was believed to be facing execution.
01:26But Iran's judiciary now says he will not be sentenced to death. State media reports that
01:32Sultani is charged with acting against national security and spreading propaganda, crimes that do
01:38not carry the death penalty under Iranian law. However, he remains in prison. Human rights groups say his
01:45execution has been delayed, not canceled. Amnesty International and the Hengah Organization for
01:51Human Rights say they confirmed the news through sources close to Sultani's family. Trump responded
01:57on social media, calling the decision good news and saying he hopes the trend continues.
02:03Iran's foreign minister also tried to calm fears. In an interview, Abbas Arachi said there are no plans
02:09for hangings in the near future. I'm confident about that, he said. There is no plan for hanging at all.
02:16But Iran's defense minister sent a very different message. Brigadier General Aziz Nazarzada told state
02:23media that Iran would use all of its power to crush what he called armed terrorists. Trump has described
02:29the unrest as violent on both sides. Earlier, speaking in the Oval Office, he said protesters were being
02:36shot at, and some were shooting back. It's one of those things, he said. Sources close to the White
02:42House say Trump has told advisers he is ready to support protesters, even with military force,
02:48but only if the action would deliver a fast and clear blow to Iran's leadership. So far,
02:54advisers say they cannot promise that outcome. Overnight, Iran took a step that raised alarms around the
03:00world. The country shut down much of its airspace for several hours. Flights were banned,
03:05except for limited travel to and from Tehran. Flight tracking sites showed empty skies over a
03:12major international travel route that connects Europe and Asia. After several hours, planes slowly
03:18returned. Iran used the same move earlier this year during a brief air conflict with Israel.
03:24Even as air traffic resumed and officials softened their tone, activists say the situation inside Iran
03:30remains dire. A U.S.-based group, the Human Rights Activist News Agency, reports that more than 2,600
03:38people have been killed. That number includes at least 150 members of Iran's security forces.
03:44The group also says more than 18,000 people have been arrested. The protests began over rising prices
03:51and the collapse of Iran's currency. The value of the rial has plunged against the U.S. dollar,
03:56making basic goods harder to afford for millions of people. What started in Tehran has now spread to
04:03nearly 200 cities across the country, according to human rights groups. Activists say getting
04:09reliable information has been difficult. Internet and phone service were cut for days,
04:14limiting contact with the outside world. This week, as service returned, reports of deaths and arrests
04:20surged. Iran's government has not released an official death. Amnesty International says the
04:27violence in recent days appears to be the deadliest crackdown Iran has carried out in years.
04:33The group says security forces have used extreme force to break up protests and silence dissent.
04:39Experts say Iran's leadership now faces a deep crisis. Ali Vais, an analyst with the International
04:45Crisis Group, says the government has lost much of its political support. He says leaders still have
04:51the power to repress the public, but their base of support is shrinking. He warned that the country
04:56is entering a darker and more dangerous phase. Back in Washington, officials are weighing their next
05:03move. The evacuation of U.S. personnel from a major base suggests growing concern about possible
05:09escalation. At the United Nations, diplomats are discussing options, including international
05:15pressure, human rights investigations, and new sanctions. So far, there is no clear path forward.
05:22Trump continues to warn Iran publicly. He has said any new executions or mass killings could trigger a
05:29U.S. response. But behind the scenes, sources say he is cautious about taking action without knowing
05:35the full consequences. Tonight, many Iranians remain in fear. Security forces are still present in major
05:43cities. Families wait for news about loved ones who have been arrested. And thousands remain behind
05:49bars, with their future uncertain. The world now watches to see whether tensions cool or rise even
05:55further. We will continue to follow this story closely and bring you updates as they develop.
06:01I'm Irfan. Thank you for watching, Global Insights.
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