WASHINGTON (AP) — President Donald Trump is navigating a delicate moment as he considers whether to authorize a U.S. military response against Iran, where authorities continue a violent crackdown on nationwide protests that has reportedly left more than 600 people dead and thousands detained.
The U.S. president has repeatedly warned Tehran that the use of deadly force against anti-government protesters would cross a “red line” and could result in military action. Trump has recently suggested that Iran may be approaching that threshold, leading him and his national security advisers to assess what he described as “very strong options.”
Although Trump has previously stated that U.S. forces are “locked and loaded,” the military appears, for now, to be in a holding pattern. The president is reassessing his next steps as he claims Iranian officials have sent private messages signaling an interest in talks with the White House.
“Public statements from the Iranian regime differ significantly from the messages we’re receiving behind the scenes,” White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt said Monday. “The president wants to explore those communications. At the same time, he has demonstrated that he is prepared to use military options if he believes they are necessary — and Iran is fully aware of that.”
Later that day, Trump announced on social media that the United States would impose 25% tariffs on countries conducting business with Iran, effective immediately. This move marked his first concrete action aimed at penalizing Tehran over the protest crackdown and underscored his broader strategy of using tariffs to pressure both allies and adversaries.
While the White House has provided limited details about Iran’s outreach, Leavitt confirmed that Trump’s special envoy, Steve Witkoff, will play a key role in any engagement with Iranian officials.
Meanwhile, Vice President JD Vance, Secretary of State Marco Rubio, and senior National Security Council officials began meetings on Friday to develop a comprehensive set of options for the president. According to a U.S. official familiar with the discussions, these options range from diplomatic initiatives to potential military strikes. The official spoke on condition of anonymity due to the sensitivity of the deliberations.
Speaking to reporters on Sunday evening, Trump said that “a meeting is being set up” with Iranian representatives, while warning that “we may have to act because of what’s happening before the meeting.”
“We’re watching the situation very carefully,” the president added.
Source: Associated Press (AP)