And YES….
The American President stands on the side making noise and that’s ALL in the Middle East….
‘Those in the streets of Iran who expected America to come to their assistance should have known better…
President Donald Trump took the unusual step on Friday of thanking the Iranian government for not following through on executions of what he said was meant to be hundreds of political prisoners.
“Iran canceled the hanging of over 800 people,” Trump told reporters while leaving the White House to spend the weekend at his Mar-a-Lago estate in Palm Beach, Florida, adding that he “greatly respected” the move.
The sentiment seemed to back away from Trump’s recent repeated suggestions that the U.S. might strike Iran militarily if its government triggered mass killings during widespread protests that swept that country but now have quieted.
Over the past two days, several Middle Eastern allies of the U.S. had urged the Trump administration to hold off on striking, fearing such action would destabilize an already volatile region as well as the global economy….
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ISW…Iran Update, January 16, 2026
- The Iranian Regime’s Securitization: The regime will likely tighten security around possible upcoming protest dates due to its fears of renewed unrest. It remains unclear whether the regime will securitize in targeted pulses around February 17 and Nowruz or sustain its current securitization for more than two months. Prolonged securitization would likely severely strain Iran’s economy and could risk exhausting security forces.
- Anti-Regime Kurdish Militant Group Activity: The Iranian regime appears to be concerned about Kurdish militancy in northwestern Iran, which may cause the regime to divert personnel and resources toward border security and constrain its protest-suppression capacity.
- Iranian Protests: There are reports of a new protest in Zahedan, Sistan and Baluchistan Province, on January 16. Protest activity in Zahedan is unique and may not reflect a resurgence in protest activity across Iran, however.
- Rumored Iraqi Militia Deployments: There are additional reports that Iranian-backed Iraqi militias have deployed to Iran within the “past few weeks” to support the regime’s crackdown on protests. Anti-regime media sources have cited similar reports during previous waves of protests in Iran.
- Syrian Military Operations in Aleppo Province: The Syrian Ministry of Defense appears to have begun its assault to capture Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF)-held territory in the Deir Hafer salient in eastern Aleppo Province on January 16 amid recent US de-escalation attempts. This ground operation will likely remain limited to eastern Aleppo Province.
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