Trump weighs action as Iran protest toll soars

Nearly 500 protesters have been confirmed killed and about 11,000 arrested in two weeks of unrest in Iran, according to a rights group, as U.S. President Donald Trump said Sunday his administration is considering tough measures against the clerical regime and will decide on a response soon.

The number of confirmed fatalities has reached 544, including 483 protesters and 47 members of the security forces, with an additional 579 reported deaths under investigation, the Fairfax, Va.-based Human Rights Activists News Agency (HRANA) reported on Sunday.

HRANA describes itself as a “press association established in 2009 by Iranian human rights advocates in order to report and disseminate daily news of human rights violations in Iran.”

HRANA reported that 10,681 people have been arrested and that there have been 96 cases of forced confessions broadcast on state media or regime-aligned outlets.

Protests have erupted in 585 locations nationwide, including 186 cities in all 31 provinces, according to HRANA, as Islamic Republic authorities continued to crack down harshly on the demonstrations, including an internet shutdown that entered its third day on Sunday. Iran’s internet access to the outside world remains at about 1% of normal levels, NetBlocks reports.

Trump renews threats to intervene

The U.S. president again warned of consequences if the regime’s forces harm protesters, telling reporters aboard Air Force One on Sunday that “there seemed to be some people killed that aren’t supposed to be killed. These are violent, if you call them leaders, I don’t know if they are leaders or just, they rule from violence.”

Trump continued that “we are looking at it very seriously. The military is looking at it and we are looking at some very strong options.”

The U.S. leader further said that “some of the protesters were killed through the stampeding, I mean you know, there’s so many of them. And some were shot. We’re getting a full report. I’m getting an hourly report and we’re going to make a determination.”

A U.S. official told Reuters on Sunday that the president will meet with senior advisers on Tuesday to discuss options for Iran.

U.S. officials told The New York Times that Trump is seriously weighing, but has not approved, a strike on Iran in response to the regime’s protest crackdown, with options ranging from nonmilitary targets in Tehran to a large aerial assault on military sites, according to The Wall Street Journal. They stressed, however, that this is routine planning, and there is no consensus and no sign of an imminent attack.

The president said Sunday he would speak with Elon Musk about using the Starlink satellite network to help restore internet access in Iran.

While some Iranians have been using Starlink during the 15 days of unrest so far, the regime has had some success in disrupting its use.

Trump also said his administration is in talks to arrange a meeting with Tehran but warned he may have to act first as the death toll rises and arrests of protesters continue, adding that he believes Iran is “tired of being beat up by the United States” and “wants to negotiate.”

Trump has made other recent public comments and social media posts hinting at American action, on Saturday writing on his Truth Social platform that “Iran is looking at FREEDOM, perhaps like never before. The USA stands ready to help!!!”

The State Department also warned: “Do not play games with President Trump. When he says he’ll do something, he means it.”

International responses

U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio discussed the protests in Iran in separate calls Sunday with the foreign ministers of Cyprus and France, according to a State Department readout by Principal Deputy Spokesperson Tommy Pigott.

Rubio wrote on X Saturday that “the United States supports the brave people of Iran.”

Germany’s foreign minister said he will raise Iran’s protests and the government’s crackdown in talks with Rubio, accusing Tehran of losing its legitimacy by shutting down the internet and fearing its own people.

The United Nations fact-finding mission mandated by the Human Rights Council has urged Iran to immediately restore internet access and halt violent repression of protesters, and voiced alarm over reports that the Supreme National Security Council ordered forces to crack down “without restraint.”

Netanyahu again expresses Israel’s support for protests

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said Sunday at the start of his weekly Cabinet meeting in Jerusalem that Israel is “closely monitoring the events unfolding in Iran,” noting that the “protests for freedom” have spread throughout the country.

“The people of Israel, and the entire world, stand in awe of the immense bravery of Iran’s citizens,” the premier said, reiterating that “Israel supports their struggle for freedom and strongly condemns the mass killings of innocent civilians.”

He continued, “We all hope that the Persian nation will soon be liberated from the yoke of tyranny, and when that day comes, Israel and Iran will once again be faithful partners in building a future of prosperity and peace for both nations.”

Israel on high alert

The Israel Defense Forces said over the weekend that it is maintaining high operational readiness and closely monitoring developments in Iran, following a series of security assessments led by IDF Chief of Staff Lt. Gen. Eyal Zamir.

The army stressed that the ongoing protests are “an internal Iranian matter,” but noted that Israel’s defenses are reinforced and its capabilities are constantly being upgraded.

“We are prepared on defense and will know how to respond forcefully if required,” the IDF said, adding that it “will do whatever is necessary to protect the citizens of the State of Israel.”

Three Israeli officials who took part in security consultations over the weekend said Israel was on high alert for the possibility of U.S. intervention, Reuters reported.

Iranian regime threats

Iranian authorities accused the United States and Israel of stirring unrest and called for a nationwide rally Monday to denounce “terrorist actions led by the United States and Israel,” state media reported.

Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi told foreign diplomats in Tehran that “the situation has come under total control,” the Associated Press reported on Monday, delivering fiery remarks that blamed Israel and the United States for the violence without providing evidence.

He said the protests turned “violent and bloody” to offer Trump a pretext to intervene, according to Qatar-based Al Jazeera, which has been allowed to report live from inside the country despite the internet shutdown.

Araghchi said that “the Islamic Republic of Iran is not seeking war but is fully prepared for war,” remarks that were broadcast on state television, Agence France-Presse reported, adding that “we are also ready for negotiations, but they should be fair, with equal rights and based on mutual respect.”

Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian warned Sunday that “rioters and terrorists” must not be allowed to disturb public order, accusing Israel and the United States of fomenting unrest.

Iranian Parliament Speaker Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf has threatened to attack the U.S. military and Israel should Trump authorize strikes against the regime, AP reported on Sunday.

Ghalibaf, a former commander of the Aerospace Force of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps, warned that the two allies were “legitimate targets,” according to the news agency, making the threat as lawmakers rushed to the dais in the Islamic Consultative Assembly in Tehran’s Baharestan district, shouting: “Death to America!”

“In the event of an attack on Iran, both the occupied territory [i.e., Israel] and all American military centers, bases and ships in the region will be our legitimate targets,” Ghalibaf said. “We do not consider ourselves limited to reacting after the action and will act based on any objective signs of a threat.”

Protests continue

Demonstrators filled the streets of Tehran and Mashhad, Iran’s second-largest city, again on Sunday.

Nationwide protests are continuing over soaring inflation and a plunging currency, with the rial falling to a record low of 1.46 million to the dollar last week.

The protests have widened to include calls to overthrow the Islamist government, and general strikes have also been a part of the movement.

The theocratic dictatorship is also dealing with the reimposition of economic sanctions over nuclear violations, along with water and electricity crises, and is recovering from Israeli and American military attacks last June.