Asked whether Arab, Israeli leaders convinced him to call off Iran strike, Trump says 'nobody convinced me, I convinced myself'
Meanwhile the nationwide uprising in Iran calling for an end to clerical rule has largely subsided following a deadly crackdown by the regime
U.S. President Donald Trump on Friday said that reports of Tehran halting planned executions played a significant role in his decision to avoid a military strike on Iran. "Nobody convinced me. I convinced myself. You had yesterday scheduled over 800 hangings. They didn't hang anyone. They canceled the hangings. That had a big impact," Trump told reporters on the White House lawn, shooting down a suggestion by a reporter that he called off the attack at the urgings of Arab and Israeli leaders.
Despite the de-escalation in rhetoric, it is understood that U.S. military assets are being moved into the region to address ongoing tensions.
Israel also joined diplomatic and military preparations, i24NEWS reported earlier on Friday, with Mossad chief David Barnea visiting the U.S. to discuss the situation in Iran.
On Thursday, the White House said that Trump and his administration are keeping "all options on the table" while issuing strong warnings to Tehran that further violence could result in drastic actions by the U.S.
The nationwide uprising in Iran calling for an end to clerical rule has largely subsided following a deadly crackdown by the regime. Thousands of protesters were killed by regime forces in what is described as the bloodiest episode in the country's internal history since the 1979 Islamic Revolution.