Praising halt to executions, Trump says "nobody convinced me” on Iran
President Trump took credit for de-escalating tensions with Tehran on Friday, telling reporters "I convinced myself" to hold off on strikes after Iranian leadership cancelled over 800 scheduled executions—a move he said he "greatly" respected.
- Americas
- Agencies and A News
- Published Date: 09:46 | 16 January 2026
- Modified Date: 10:22 | 16 January 2026
U.S. President Donald Trump made a series of remarks on Friday addressing Iran, NATO, and the strategic importance of Greenland, outlining his administration's current foreign policy stance.
Responding to questions about whether Arab or Israeli officials had persuaded him against taking military action on Iran, Trump rejected the suggestion, saying the decision was entirely his own. "Nobody convinced me. I convinced myself," he stated, emphasizing that any move regarding Tehran would be based on his personal assessment of U.S. interests.
The president also expressed strong approval of a reported decision by Iranian authorities to cancel more than 800 executions that had been scheduled for Thursday. Trump said he "greatly" respected the Iranian leadership for halting the executions, calling the move a positive humanitarian step.
Turning to the Arctic region, Trump confirmed that Washington is in discussions with NATO allies regarding Greenland. He argued that the territory is vital for American national security. "We are talking to NATO on Greenland," Trump said, adding that the United States needs the area "very badly" for strategic defense purposes.
The US president previously indicated that military intervention remained a possible option, but lowered the likelihood of a strike after learning that Iranian authorities had canceled some planned executions of protesters.
Later Friday, Trump told the reporters he alone made the decision not to launch a military strike against Iran, rejecting suggestions that foreign leaders influenced his choice.