At a Glance
- President Trump says Iran’s leaders called to negotiate as security forces kill hundreds of protesters
- Internet blackout hides death toll; activists count 544 dead and 10,000 detained
- Tehran blames U.S. and Israel for unrest while warning any attack will target Israel and U.S. bases
- Why it matters: The standoff could tip into direct military action as Trump weighs “very strong options”
President Donald Trump says Iran wants to negotiate even as he warns the United States may still launch strikes over Tehran’s violent crackdown on nationwide protests that have left hundreds dead and thousands jailed.
Activists report that security forces have killed 544 people-496 protesters and 48 security personnel-since demonstrations erupted two weeks ago over soaring prices and a crashing currency. More than 10,000 have been detained, according to the U.S.-based Human Rights Activists News Agency (HRANA). Iranian authorities have released no official toll.
“They want to negotiate”
Speaking to reporters aboard Air Force One late Sunday, Trump claimed Iran’s leaders initiated contact.
“They want to negotiate,” he said, adding that “a meeting is being set up.”
Yet he left open the possibility of U.S. strikes: “We may have to act because of what’s happening before the meeting.”
Trump said the military is reviewing “some very strong options.” When asked about Iranian threats of retaliation, he replied, “If they do that, we will hit them at levels that they’ve never been hit before.”
Three U.S. officials confirmed to News Of Fort Worth that preliminary plans-from targeted strikes to non-military measures-have been presented to the president. No final decision has been made.
Internet blackout hides death toll
Iran has severed internet and phone service for days, obscuring the scale of the crackdown. One video geolocated by Ryan J. Thompson to a forensic medical center outside Tehran shows dozens of black body bags lined up outdoors as mourners wail.
At a morgue in Kahrizak, five miles south of the capital, a TV screen inside the facility scrolls through photos of the dead while a counter displays 250 and Friday’s date.
Hadi Ghaemi, executive director of the Center for Human Rights in Iran, told News Of Fort Worth by phone: “We do truly believe that a massacre has taken place, and the extent and dimensions of it are yet to be known as the country comes out of the internet blockade, if it does. They don’t seem in any rush to restore the internet.”
Tehran blames Washington
Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi told foreign ambassadors Monday that the situation is “under total control.” He accused the United States and Israel of instigating the violence without providing evidence.
“The demonstrations turned violent and bloody to give an excuse to the American president to intervene,” he said, according to Al Jazeera.
Parliament Speaker Mohammad Baqer Qalibaf, a former Revolutionary Guards commander, warned Washington against “a miscalculation.”
“Let us be clear: in the case of an attack on Iran, the occupied territories (Israel) as well as all U.S. bases and ships will be our legitimate target,” Qalibaf said.
Protests morph into historic challenge
What began as economic grievances has grown into one of the largest challenges to the Islamic Republic in its 47-year history. Thousands have taken to the streets demanding the end of clerical rule.
United Nations Secretary-General António Guterres posted on X Sunday: “Shocked by reports of violence & excessive use of force by the Iranian authorities against protesters resulting in deaths & injuries in recent days.” He urged “maximum restraint.”
Iranian authorities plan a pro-government counter-demonstration Monday, yet analysts expect protests to continue.
“I think everything is fluid. It’s very hard to imagine what will happen in the coming days,” Ghaemi said.
Key Takeaways
- Trump confirms direct Iranian outreach while keeping military options on the table
- Activists document rising death toll amid communications blackout
- Tehran threatens regional retaliation if U.S. strikes
- Demonstrations evolve into broad challenge to Iran’s ruling clergy
