Following threats of consequences from U.S. President Donald Trump, the White House said Thursday that Iran stopped 800 scheduled executions after a violent crackdown on widespread protests.
One of those spared — for now — is 26-year-old Erfan Soltani, who had been set to be executed Wednesday.
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Scripps News spoke with Somayeh, a cousin of Soltani who only gave her first name because she fears for the safety of relatives still in Iran. She said she was grateful his execution was postponed but remains concerned for his well-being.
"I was happy that the voice of the world reached to temporarily postpone Erfan's execution," Somayeh told Scripps News in a translated interview. "But after that there is no news or movement about Erfan's torture and scheduled execution. At the moment we are all frozen for news about what comes next."
"This situation is still very concerning, as the sentence they gave to a young person for simply seeking basic human rights is a travesty," she added. "There is no true law or justice in the Islamic Republic. They can suddenly take countless lives and just claim it's religiously ordained God's will."
Earlier this week, President Trump rejected the prospect of talks with Iranian officials about the government’s protest crackdown. Instead, he told Iranian citizens that "help is on the way" — after warning Iran repeatedly with military action if deadly force was used against anti-government protesters.
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For now, Iran appears to have heeded those warnings, halting the executions of Soltani and hundreds of others. Still, Somayeh said Iranians need help from the U.S.
"All planned future killings and executions can be circumvented only by Mr. Trump's decision," she said. "All our hopes are on him."
"From the moment Erfan's name spread across the world and became known everywhere, it coincided exactly with the day news of his execution reached President Trump," she added.
Meanwhile, the possibility of a U.S. military intervention remains as diplomatic ties between Washington and Tehran appear frozen. U.S. military aircraft, including fighter jets and refueling planes, have been deployed to bases in the region amid the heightened tensions.
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