TEHRAN / WASHINGTON — President Donald Trump announced late Sunday that Iranian leadership has reached out to propose negotiations with the United States. However, the President cautioned that he may authorize military action before any meeting takes place, citing reports of a “massacre” during the regime’s crackdown on nationwide protests.
Thank you for reading this post, don't forget to subscribe!Key Developments
- Negotiation Claims: Speaking aboard Air Force One, Trump stated, “Iran called, they want to negotiate… A meeting is being set up, but we may have to act because of what’s happening before the meeting.”
- Rising Fatalities: Human rights groups (HRANA) have verified at least 572 deaths, including 503 protesters. Unverified reports from medical sources suggest the toll could be significantly higher, with some estimates exceeding 2,000 casualties following intense clashes on January 8 and 9.
- Mass Detentions: More than 10,600 people have been arrested over the past two weeks as protests over currency collapse and inflation evolved into calls for the end of clerical rule.
The U.S. Response: Red Lines and Military Options
President Trump indicated that the Iranian government is “starting to” cross his red lines regarding the killing of civilians. The administration is reportedly reviewing a suite of “very strong options,” which include:
- Direct Strikes: Potential targeted military or cyberattacks by U.S. or Israeli forces.
- Digital Intervention: Coordination with Elon Musk to deploy Starlink terminals to bypass the nationwide internet blackout.
- Diplomatic Deterrence: A strategy meeting with national security advisers is scheduled for Tuesday to finalize the U.S. position.
“If they [retaliate], we will hit them at levels that they’ve never been hit before. They won’t even believe it.” — President Donald Trump
Iran’s Stance: “Ready for War and Negotiations”
- Abbas Araghchi (Foreign Minister): Stated that Iran is “ready for negotiations” but only on the basis of “mutual respect.” He simultaneously warned that the military is “fully prepared for war” and blamed the unrest on “American-Zionist terrorism.”
- Domestic Control: Araghchi claimed the situation is “under total control,” despite videos continuing to emerge showing protesters in the streets of Tehran and Mashhad.
- Retaliation Warnings: Parliament Speaker Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf warned that U.S. bases and ships in the region, as well as Israel, are “legitimate targets” should Washington intervene.
Current Status of the Unrest
The protests, which began on December 28, 2025, were triggered by the collapse of the Iranian rial (trading at over 1.4 million to $1). The country remains under a near-total internet blackout that began on January 8, which activists say is being used to mask the scale of human rights violations.
