US President Donald Trump has said Iran has approached Washington and proposed negotiations after he warned of possible action over Tehran’s violent crackdown on nationwide protests.
Speaking to reporters aboard Air Force One, Trump said his administration was working to arrange a meeting with Iranian officials but cautioned that he may have to act first as reports of mounting deaths and mass arrests continue.
“I think they are tired of being beat up by the United States,” Trump said. “Iran wants to negotiate.”
The comments came as activists said at least 544 people have been killed and more than 10,600 detained during two weeks of unrest sparked by Iran’s deepening economic crisis and the collapse of its currency.
The US-based Human Rights Activists News Agency said 496 of those killed were protesters and 48 were members of the security forces. The group, which relies on a network of supporters inside Iran, said its figures were crosschecked and based on past experience of tracking unrest.
With internet access blocked and phone lines cut across much of Iran, independent verification of the toll has become difficult. The Iranian government has not released any overall casualty figures.
Despite the information blackout, protesters were seen gathering in parts of Tehran and Mashhad over the weekend, according to online videos believed to have been shared using satellite connections. Demonstrations were also reported in Kerman and other cities.
Iran’s parliament speaker Mohammad Baagher Qalibaf warned that the US military and Israel would be “legitimate targets” if Washington uses force to protect demonstrators.
“In the event of an attack on Iran, both the occupied territory and all American military centers, bases and ships in the region will be our legitimate targets,” he told lawmakers, who chanted “Death to America” in the chamber.
Trump said his national security team was considering a range of options, including cyber operations and possible strikes.
“The military is looking at it, and we are looking at some very strong options,” he said. “If they do that, we will hit them at levels that they have never been hit before.”
The US military said its forces in the Middle East are positioned to defend American interests and allies. Iran targeted US forces at Al Udeid Air Base in Qatar in June, while the US Navy’s Fifth Fleet remains based in Bahrain.
Israel said it was closely monitoring developments. An Israeli official said Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu had spoken with US Secretary of State Marco Rubio about the situation.
International concern has also grown. United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres said he was shocked by reports of violence against protesters and urged Iranian authorities to show restraint and restore communications.
At the Vatican, Pope Leo XIV said he hoped dialogue and peace could be nurtured in Iran, where tensions continue to claim many lives.
The protests began on Dec 28 after the Iranian rial plunged to more than 1.4 million to the US dollar, deepening public anger over economic hardship, corruption and international sanctions linked to Tehran’s nuclear programme. The demonstrations have since expanded into direct calls challenging Iran’s ruling theocracy.