Iran's judiciary on Wednesday dismissed as "false news" remarks by US President Donald Trump that Tehran had reversed a decision to execute eight women, saying they had never faced the death penalty.
"Despite the claim from last night being exposed as a lie, Trump, just minutes ago in another post, claimed that the death sentences of eight protesting women who were supposed to be executed tonight in Iran have been cancelled, and thanked Iran!" Iran's judiciary-linked Mizan news agency wrote on X.
"Trump's empty hand in the field has led him to fabricate achievements from false news," it added.
Iran's embassy in South Africa had earlier been equally dismissive, describing the women as AI-generated.
"Hurray, Trump saved 8 AI-generated people," the embassy wrote on X.
Trump had written on his Truth Social platform that eight women protesters facing execution would no longer be killed following his intervention.
"Very good news! I have just been informed that the eight women protestors who were going to be executed tonight in Iran will no longer be killed," he wrote.
"Four will be released immediately, and four will be sentenced to one month in prison." He added that he "very much appreciated" Iran's leaders for respecting his request as president.
Trump had earlier reposted an activist's claim that eight women were facing death by hanging, a claim that included photographs but no names, urging Tehran to release them to help ongoing peace negotiations.
The claims or the women's identities have not been independently verified.
However, rights groups said at least one woman arrested over January protests has been sentenced to death, while at least one more faces charges carrying the death penalty.
Rights groups have also accused Iran of stepping up executions of political prisoners against the backdrop of the US-Israeli war on the country.
The fate of US-Iran talks hosted by Pakistan remains unclear. A previous round collapsed with Tehran accusing Washington of making excessive demands over the Strait of Hormuz and Iran's nuclear programme.
