US President Donald Trump on Sunday claimed that Iran’s leadership had reached out to him to initiate talks, even as Washington continues to threaten military action amid widespread anti-government protests across the Islamic Republic.
Speaking to reporters aboard Air Force One, Trump said Iranian leaders had contacted him a day earlier and that preparations for a possible meeting were underway. However, he cautioned that the United States might take action before any talks materialise.
The US President described Iran’s leadership as ruling through force and violence, alleging that people had been killed during the ongoing unrest. He said the situation was being closely tracked by both the White House and the US military, and that a range of “strong options” were under consideration.
“They’re starting to, it looks like, and there seem to be some people killed that aren’t supposed to be killed. These are violent if you call ’em leaders. I don’t know if they’re leaders or if they just rule through violence,” said Trump.
“We’re looking at it very seriously. The military’s looking at it, and we’re looking at some very strong options. We’ll make a determination,” The American commander-in-chief said.
Trump declined to specify whether Tehran had crossed a red line or outline any potential military response. When pressed by reporters for details, he said he would not discuss operational matters, including timing or targets. He added that he was receiving frequent updates on developments inside Iran and that a decision would be taken after further assessment.
Addressing reports of fatalities during the protests, Trump said some deaths were the result of crowd stampedes, while others involved the use of firearms. He did not provide independent verification for the claims.
The US President also issued a warning against any retaliation by Iran or its allied groups, saying that any such move would be met with an unprecedented response. He suggested that Tehran should already be aware of Washington’s resolve, citing past US actions against senior militant leaders and its stance on Iran’s nuclear programme.
Trump did not indicate whether the United States had consulted its allies on a potential response, nor did he offer a timeline for a final decision.
Iran has seen repeated waves of unrest in recent weeks, with thousands of people participating in protests against the country’s ruling establishment in several cities.
