Iran asks to negotiate amid deadly crackdown on protesters – Trump

Amid ongoing mass protests across Iran in which hundreds of people have been killed, the country has asked the United States to open new negotiations, U.S. President Donald Trump has said.

Speaking aboard Air Force One on Sunday, Trump told reporters the Iranian leadership had called him “to negotiate” a day earlier.

He added that a meeting with Iranian representatives might be arranged, but said the U.S. could need to act beforehand given ongoing protests in the country.

“I think they’re tired of being beat up by the United States,” he added, apparently referring to Israeli strikes on Iran’s nuclear programme last year, which involved U.S. military support.

Trump did not specify what topics the talks would cover. Last year, Tehran had held indirect discussions with U.S. special envoy Steve Witkoff over its disputed nuclear programme.

Earlier on Sunday, U.S. media reported Trump is considering possible military strikes on Iran, but also other options.

CNN reported, citing two US officials, that Trump had been briefed on various ways of intervening in light of reports that hundreds of protesters have been killed.

Alongside a range of possible military options, measures that would not involve direct military action were also discussed.

According to CNN, some of the approaches presented to Trump focused on targeting Tehran’s security forces deployed to suppress the protests.

The broadcaster said there were concerns within Trump’s administration that military strikes could backfire and undermine the protests.

There were fears that attacks could inadvertently lead to greater public support in Iran for the authoritarian leadership, or trigger military retaliation by Tehran.

The news site Axios also reported, citing US officials, that Trump was considering various options, including military ones, to support the protests in Iran.

Most of the approaches put to him currently did not involve combat operations, according to Axios.

Other possibilities reportedly focus on intimidating the Iranian leadership, for example by deploying an aircraft carrier strike group to the region. Axios said cyber attacks are also under consideration.

Trump shared his support for the demonstrations in Iran over the weekend, saying the U.S. was “ready to help,” without specifying what form any help might take.

The Iranian leadership has blocked the internet for the fourth consecutive day due to the protests, however Trump suggested the U.S. might help protesters access satellite internet.

Asked whether he would make Starlink, the satellite internet service operated by tech billionaire Elon Musk’s SpaceX, available in Iran, Trump said the issue was under consideration and the U.S. would try to restore internet access if possible.

He added he planned to call Musk later on Sunday.

According to the US-based Human Rights Activists News Agency, at least 544 people have been killed during the mass protests over the past 15 days.

The actual number of fatalities could be much higher, as communication with the outside world is severely restricted due to internet blackouts and blocked phone lines.

The protests were triggered about two weeks ago by the country’s crippling economic crisis, but quickly turned into political demonstrations against the apparatus of the Islamic Republic.