The White House said tonight (Monday) that President Donald Trump is not afraid to use military force against Iran but prefers a diplomatic solution. Asked about the possibility of a military strike in light of the harsh crackdown on protests, White House spokeswoman Karoline Leavitt said military options, including airstrikes, remain on the table, though diplomacy is Trump’s preferred course.
Shortly afterward, The Wall Street Journal reported that Trump is leaning toward striking Iran, while senior officials in his administration, led by Vice President JD Vance, are trying to steer him toward a diplomatic approach.
Exiled Iranian Crown Prince Reza Pahlavi — widely seen abroad as a symbolic leader of the protests in Iran — addressed U.S. President Donald Trump on Monday evening, saying, “Now is the time to act” to end the rule of the ayatollahs. “The regime is weak and on its back legs. The people are ready to topple it. They do not need boots on the ground. All they need is the action of the leader of the free world,” Pahlavi wrote.
In a post on X, he added: “Negotiating with this criminal regime who is still threatening America and the President will not bring peace. But immediate action to support these brave protesters will save thousands of lives and bring lasting peace to the region. That will be President Trump’s legacy.”
Cries against the US and Israel in demonstrations organized by the Iranian regime
The latest surge in protests began Thursday when masses responded to Pahlavi’s call to take to the streets at 8p.m.. Overnight in a cryptic X post, the son of Iran’s last Shah wrote: “Iran's freedom is near. We are not alone. International support will soon arrive.” He declared a “new phase of the national uprising to overthrow the Islamic Republic and reclaim our beloved Iran” and said that any institution or official involved in regime propaganda is a legitimate target. “Employees of state institutions, as well as members of the armed and security forces, have a choice: stand with the people and become allies of the nation, or choose complicity with the murderers of the people—and bear the nation’s lasting shame and condemnation,” he wrote.
Trump signals possible talks with Tehran, warns Iran against violence
Trump revealed overnight that Iran has proposed returning to negotiations over a nuclear deal and said aboard Air Force One that “a meeting is being set up.” He reiterated his warning to the regime against harming protesters: “If they [the Revolutionary Guards] do it — we will respond with force they have never seen before. They won’t even believe it.” Trump said his administration is in discussions to arrange a meeting with Tehran but warned action might be necessary first: “I think they’re tired of being sanctioned by the U.S., Iran wants to negotiate.”
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President Donald Trump and Reza Pahlavi: Will the US president intervene?
(צילום: Joel Saget / AFP, Saul Loeb / AFP)
Iran’s Foreign Minister, Abbas Araghchi, said Monday that violence during antigovernment protests rose over the weekend and accused Trump of motivating “terrorists” to attack both protesters and security forces in order to justify intervention. “The statements by Trump that the U.S. will intervene if the regime kills more protesters have turned the protests bloody,” Araghchi claimed, while asserting that “the situation is completely under control.”
Pro‑regime demonstrations began Monday morning, organized to counter the antigovernment movement. Iranian state media and outlets aligned with the regime’s Shiite axis, including Al Mayadeen, reported “mass marches” across several provinces, featuring tens of thousands of demonstrators waving Islamic Republic flags and holding banners supporting the state leadership.
Ali Larijani, secretary of Iran’s Supreme National Security Council, participated in the rallies, saying: “Don’t take Trump too seriously. Today’s turnout shows a determined nation ready to settle scores with the U.S. and Israel.”
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Iran pro-regime protesters burn picture of Crown Prince Reza Pahlavi, son of deposed Shah
Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei praised the organized support rallies, saying: “The Iranian nation has revealed itself, its determination, and its identity to the enemies. This was a warning to American politicians to stop their deception and not rely on traitorous mercenaries. The great Iranian nation — today you did a wonderful job and created a historic day.”
On the possibility of a U.S.–Iran meeting, Araghchi said Tuesday evening that “there are ideas being examined.” He added: “We cannot reconcile the proposals put forward by Washington with its threats against our country. If Washington wants to explore the military option it previously considered, we are ready for that. We are in a significantly higher state of military readiness compared to the last war. Some are trying to drag Washington into war to serve Israeli interests. We do not believe Washington is ready for a fair and just negotiation, but when that happens, we will consider it seriously.”
Over the weekend, the Wall Street Journal reported that the Trump administration has begun preliminary discussions about a possible strike in Iran against multiple military targets, but noted that such action is not currently being planned. On Monday evening, a senior U.S. official told Al Jazeera: “Our forces in the Middle East are ready for any emergency mission and prepared to defend themselves and our interests. Military planning options against Iran have reached advanced stages. Options are being prepared according to circumstances and developments.”
'Estimates of thousands of deaths in Iran' amid Internet Blackout
Iran Human Rights, a Norway‑based organization relying on sources inside Iran, reported Monday evening that at least 648 protesters have been killed since demonstrations began on December 28. The group said nine of the dead were minors, and thousands have been injured by Iranian security forces. Israeli intelligence estimates suggest over 1,000 Iranians have already died. One unverified estimate cited by Iran Human Rights puts the death toll at more than 6,000.
The Iranian government has not released official casualty figures, and state media have focused on reporting deaths of security personnel in clashes with protesters. Separately, the U.S.-based Human Rights Activists News Agency reported that over 10,600 people have been arrested nationwide during the protests. According to the organization, nearly 600 demonstrations have taken place in the past two weeks across all 31 provinces of the Islamic Republic.
Harrowing footage emerged Monday that appears to have been smuggled out of Iran by someone who recently left the country. Videos show Iranians weeping beside the bodies of relatives killed in the protests, long rows of bodies wrapped in bags in a forensic institute courtyard, and images of victims displayed on screens for family identification. One frame showed the number “250,” suggesting that many bodies were present at that location alone.
Iran has been nearly completely disconnected from the internet since Thursday, the same day protests escalated significantly. The regime reportedly cut access both to prevent documentation of abuses from reaching the world and to hinder protesters’ ability to organize. NetBlocks, which monitors internet traffic, reported Monday that connectivity in Iran remains at about 1% of normal levels. Iran’s foreign minister said Tuesday that internet services will be restored “in coordination with security authorities,” while NetBlocks noted the blackout has now lasted 96 hours.
Opposition site Iran International reported that government agents are confiscating satellite dishes from homes in Tehran to further limit independent and foreign media access. Security forces have also reportedly been going door to door erasing video from private security cameras in an effort to suppress documentation of the protests at their height.
First published: 20:12, 01.12.26