US President Donald Trump on Wednesday claimed that the killing in Iran had stopped and that authorities were no longer planning mass executions, which appeared to be a sign of easing tensions in the region.
Speaking at the White House, Trump said he had received assurances from what he described as "very important sources on the other side" that executions would not go ahead.
In recent days, Trump has repeatedly spoken about coming to the aid of the Iranian people amid a crackdown on protests that rights groups say have left at least 3,428 people dead, with air strikes appearing to be imminent.
Until Wednesday, the United States had been threatening military action if Iranian authorities proceeded with executions of those detained over the unrest, with flights grounded and some American personnel withdrawn from military bases in the region due to expected retaliatory strikes from Tehran.
Based on US military officials speaking to the New York Times, long-range bombers had been ordered to be on alert to conduct possible secondary strikes if needed, but were told to pause their efforts later on Wednesday. The stand-down of C-17 evacuation flights from Al Udeid shortly after Trump’s remarks about executions are all military actions hinting at de-escalation rather than preparedness for an attack.
Responding to Trump's comments, Iran's foreign minister, Abbas Araghchi, told Fox News that there were no plans to execute protesters amid signs that hundreds of protesters could be put to death.
Iranian state media, citing Tehran's judiciary, also reported that there was no pending death sentence for 26-year-old Erfan Soltani, after reports emerged that he was due to be executed on Wednesday over alleged links to nationwide protests.
Trump did not, however, rule out military action, as tensions between Washington and Tehran remained high following days of increasingly hostile rhetoric. Iranian officials have warned that any US strike would be met with retaliation against American military bases in the region.
Speaking to Al-Araby Al-Jadeed, TNA's Arabic language sister website, Iran's foreign ministry spokesman Esmail Baghaei also said the it is "militarily ready to face any attack", adding that Iran's armed forces "are closely monitoring all enemy movements in the region, and any attack on Iran will be met with a stronger response than before".
Araghchi, meanwhile, maintained that diplomacy with Washington remained the best option, as regional partners seek to de-escalate tensions.
Baghaei also confirmed to TNA that a channel between Tehran and Washington remained active via Swiss officials but stressing that it remains "an ongoing process".
Iran reopened its airspace to civilian traffic on Thursday morning after a temporary closure lasting around five hours overnight.
The United Kingdom, as well as the US, has advised its nationals to depart Iran, while issuing additional travel alerts for more than a dozen countries, including Turkey, the UAE and Egypt, urging travellers to "stay alert".
Israel, which Iran accuses of instigating unrest inside the country, has likewise been placed under travel warnings by both the US and UK governments.
Israeli Energy Minister Eli Cohen warned Tehran against attacking Tel Aviv after Iranian statements suggested Israeli territory could be considered a legitimate target in the event of an attack.
Israeli radio reported that mayors in several cities had independently decided to open public shelters as a precaution, without waiting for instructions from the Home Front Command.
Meanwhile, eyewitnesses inside Iran suggest protests have abated following days of a violent crackdown that has killed at least 2,615 people and led to more than 18,000 arrests, according to the US-based rights group HRANA. These figures could not be independently verified due to a near-total internet blackout that has entered its seventh day.
Iran's Fars News Agency reported that a separate domestic internet network is expected to be launched "within the next week or two".
An emergency meeting on Iran at the United Nations Security Council is expected to take place later on Thursday.