By chatnewstv.com
WASHINGTON (chatnewstv.com) — President Donald Trump said Sunday that Iranian leadership has reached out to the United States to open new negotiations, even as he warned that the U.S. military is weighing “very strong options” in response to a deadly crackdown on anti-government protests.
Speaking to reporters aboard Air Force One, Trump claimed Iranian officials called him Saturday seeking to discuss a path forward.
“I think they’re tired of being beat up by the United States,” Trump said, an apparent reference to a series of U.S.-backed Israeli strikes on Iran’s nuclear facilities last year.
The president said that while a meeting with Iranian representatives might be arranged, he suggested the U.S. may take action beforehand to address the escalating violence within the country.
“We may meet with them. A meeting is being set up,” Trump said. “But we may have to act because of what’s happening before the meeting.”
The outreach comes as Iran is gripped by its most significant unrest in years. The U.S.-based Human Rights Activists News Agency (HRANA) reported Sunday that at least 544 people have been killed over 15 days of mass demonstrations. Activists say the actual death toll is likely much higher, but a near-total internet blackout and blocked phone lines have made independent verification nearly impossible.
The protests, which began two weeks ago over a crippling economic crisis and the collapse of the rial, have evolved into a nationwide uprising against the clerical government.
Earlier Sunday, reports surfaced that the White House is reviewing several avenues for intervention. While Trump did not specify a “red line,” he told reporters the Iranian government was “starting to” cross one.
“We’re looking at it very seriously. The military is looking at it,” Trump said.
Options presented to the president range from cyberattacks and the deployment of an aircraft carrier strike group to direct strikes on security forces involved in the suppression of protesters. However, some administration officials have expressed concern that direct military action could inadvertently bolster the Iranian leadership by triggering a “rally around the flag” effect or sparking a regional war.
Trump also addressed the information blackout in Iran, suggesting the U.S. would attempt to help protesters bypass the regime’s digital blockade. Asked if he would enlist Elon Musk’s SpaceX to provide Starlink satellite internet service, Trump said he planned to call the tech billionaire.
“He’s very good at that kind of thing,” Trump said of Musk. “We may get the internet going.”
In Tehran, the government has blamed the unrest on foreign “terrorist elements.” Iranian Parliament Speaker Mohammad Baqer Qalibaf warned Sunday that any U.S. or Israeli attack would make American naval vessels and regional bases “legitimate targets.”
The potential for new talks marks a shift in tone after months of stalled diplomacy. Last year, Tehran suspended indirect nuclear discussions with U.S. Special Envoy Steve Witkoff following the strikes on its nuclear program. Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi said Monday that while Iran is “prepared for war,” it remains open to “fair and balanced” negotiations.
