The United States is considering “very strong“ options against Iran in response to the protests sweeping the country and the deaths of protesters, US President Donald Trump told reporters aboard Air Force One.
Trump did not rule out the use of military force. “We are considering that option”, he said in response to a question on the subject.
The Speaker of the Iranian Parliament, Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf, said earlier that if Israel or the US strike Iran, both Israeli facilities and US military centers, bases and ships in the region will become legitimate targets for Tehran. Commenting on this, Trump threatened: “If they do this, we will hit them like they have never been hit before. If they do this, they will face very serious force.“
Trump is considering a number of possible actions against Iran in response to the mass protests sweeping the country, CNN and NBC sources told US officials.
According to these sources, Trump has been presented with several preliminary plans of action in recent days, ranging from possible strikes to options that do not involve military action. CNN sources told NBC that the options involving the use of force include strikes against Iranian security forces. However, the administration fears that such actions could “unintentionally rally the Iranian people in support of the government“ or force Iran to retaliate with its own military force, CNN reported.
Trump is also considering actions against the Iranian government that do not involve military strikes, sources told CNN. Those options include cyberattacks on Iranian military or government facilities, which one official said could undermine efforts to quell the protests.
The preliminary plans also include imposing new sanctions on Iranian politicians or economic sectors such as energy and banking. Washington is also exploring the possibility of providing technology, such as Starlink, to expand internet access in Iran after local authorities imposed restrictions, as previously reported by The Wall Street Journal (WSJ).
CNN sources say Trump is considering various options targeting the Iranian government because he “hopes to fulfill his promise to help protesters in the country“.
Trump has authorized a meeting with Iranian officials to discuss Tehran's nuclear program, Reuters reported on Sunday.
According to the information, Trump said that Iranian officials contacted the United States on January 10 “about nuclear issues“ and that the US prime minister authorized “a meeting with them“. He also said that Washington is in contact with opposition forces in Iran.
According to the American leader, “we may have to act before the meeting. The meeting is in the process of being organized. Iran has called. They want to negotiate“, Trump said. According to Reuters, the discussion was related to negotiations on Tehran's nuclear program. At the same time, according to the agency, Trump also said that Washington is in contact with opposition forces in Iran.
According to the Iranian human rights organization HRANA (Human Rights Activists Information Agency), quoted by Reuters, by January 11, 490 protesters and 48 security personnel had been killed in the unrest. In addition, more than 10,000 protesters had been arrested. According to Iran's state news agency Tasnim, 109 security personnel were killed in the unrest.
The Iranian government has declared three days of national mourning in memory of the "martyrs", including members of the security forces, who died during the two-week protests, state television reported, NOVA reported.
The authorities have described the fight against what they call the "riots" as "the Iranian national resistance battle against America and the Zionist regime". They used the leadership's term for Israel, which the Islamic Republic does not recognize.
President Masoud Pezeshkian has called on citizens to join a "national resistance march" - a series of nationwide rallies planned for January 12. The aim is to condemn the violence, which the government has described as being carried out by “urban terrorist criminals“.