WASHINGTON DC – President Donald Trump on Sunday escalated his public warnings to Iran, saying the US military is actively weighing “very strong options” as the Iranian regime cracks down on nationwide protests – even as Tehran quietly seeks talks with Washington.
Speaking to reporters aboard Air Force One, Trump suggested Iran is nearing a US red line.
“Well, they’re starting to – it looks like it,” Trump said when asked whether Iran had crossed a threshold.
“There seems to be some people killed who weren’t supposed to be killed. These are violent – you can call them leaders, I don’t know if they’re leaders. I guess they rule with violence,” he added.
The comments underscore how quickly the White House’s posture is hardening amid growing unrest inside Iran – and how narrowly diplomacy and force may now be running in parallel.
‘Very strong options’ on the table
Trump said he is receiving “hourly briefings” on the situation and confirmed that the Pentagon is reviewing military responses.
“We’re looking at it very seriously, the military’s looking at it. And there’s a couple options,” he said.
Pressed on what those options include, the president bristled.
“Are you asking me to say what will I do, where will I attack, when and what angle we’ll attack from?” Trump shot back.
The US president described a chaotic and violent situation on the ground, saying some protesters were killed by gunfire while others died amid massive stampedes.
“Some of the protesters were killed from all the stampeding, there were so many of them. And some were shot,” he said. “We’re going to make a determination.”
Activist groups estimate more than 500 people have been killed and over 10,000 detained, though exact figures remain unclear due to widespread internet and communications blackouts.
Tehran calls – even as pressure mounts
Despite the escalating rhetoric, Trump revealed that Iranian leaders reached out over the weekend to seek negotiations.
“Iran called. They want to negotiate,” Trump said. “We may meet with them… but we may have to act, because of what’s happening, before the meeting.”
Trump framed Tehran’s outreach as a sign of weakness.
“I think they’re tired of being beat up by the United States,” he said.
Still, the prospect of talks – however tenuous – highlights the tension between the administration’s pressure campaign and the political risks of appearing to legitimize Iran’s leadership while protesters fill the streets.
Starlink, sanctions – and strikes?
Trump also signaled that the administration is exploring non-kinetic ways to support protesters, including restoring internet access.
“We may get the internet going,” he said. “I may speak to Elon, because as you know he’s very good at that kind of thing.”
But the president paired that with unmistakable warnings. Earlier this month, Trump said the US would intervene if Iran continues to kill peaceful demonstrators.
“If Iran [shoots] and violently kills peaceful protesters, which is their custom, the United States of America will come to their rescue,” he said. “We are locked and loaded and ready to go.”
He reiterated that any Iranian retaliation against US interests would be met with overwhelming force.
“If they do that, we will hit them at levels that they’ve never been hit before.”
Analyst: Talks could undercut protesters
Some Iran policy specialists caution that negotiations – even exploratory ones – could backfire.
Jason Brodsky, policy director at United Against Nuclear Iran (UANI), a non-profit organization dedicated to countering threats posed by the Islamic regime, told Kyiv Post Sunday night that the administration should focus on actions that directly weaken the regime’s ability to suppress dissent.
He argued the most effective immediate steps would be cyberattacks to disable surveillance and censorship, along with targeted strikes against the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps’ internal security units.
Brodsky also warned against engaging Tehran diplomatically at this moment.
Negotiations now, he said, “would be construed as an external intervention on behalf of the regime while the Iranian people are risking their lives to displace it.”
For now, Trump appears determined to keep every option in play – diplomacy included, but force unmistakably on the table.
As protests spread and Tehran’s grip tightens, the White House is signaling that the next move may not be Iran’s alone.
And in Trump’s Washington, ambiguity itself is integral to the message.