DUBAI, United Arab Emirates (AP) — U.S. President Donald Trump said Iran is willing to negotiate with Washington after its threat to hit the Islamic Republic over its bloody crackdown on protesters, a move that came as activists said Monday that the death toll in nationwide demonstrations had risen to at least 544.
Iran had no direct reaction to Trump’s comments, which came after Oman’s foreign minister — a longtime interlocutor between Washington and Tehran — traveled to Iran this weekend. It also remains unclear what Iran might promise, especially since Trump has imposed strict requirements on its nuclear program and ballistic missile arsenal, which Tehran insists are crucial to its national defense.
Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi, speaking to foreign diplomats in Tehran, insisted that “the situation has come under total control” in fiery remarks that blamed Israel and the US for the violence without providing evidence.
“That’s why the demonstrations turned violent and bloody to give the US president an excuse to intervene,” Araghchi said in comments carried by the Qatari-funded Al Jazeera satellite news network. Al Jazeera has been allowed to report live from inside the country, although the internet is closed.
However, Araghchi said Iran was “open to diplomacy”. Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesman Esmail Baghaei said a channel to the US remained open, but talks must be based “on acceptance of mutual interests and concerns, not one-sided, one-sided negotiation and based on dictation.”
Meanwhile, Iran drew tens of thousands of pro-government protesters to the streets in support of the theocracy on Monday, a show of force after days of protests directly challenging the rule of 86-year-old Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei. Iranian state television broadcast chants from the crowd, which appeared to number in the tens of thousands, chanting “Death to America!” and “Death to Israel!”
Others shouted, “Death to God’s enemies!” Iran’s attorney general said prosecutors would bring such charges against the protesters, which carry the death penalty.
Trump acknowledges the proposal for talks
Trump and his national security team weighed a number of potential responses against Iran, including cyber attacks and direct strikes by the U.S. or Israel, according to two people familiar with internal White House discussions who were not authorized to comment publicly and spoke on condition of anonymity.
“The military is looking at it and we’re looking at some very strong options,” Trump told reporters on Air Force One late Sunday. Asked about Iran’s threats of retaliation, he said: “If they do that, we will hit them at levels that have never been reached before.”
Trump said his administration was in talks to set up a meeting with Tehran, but warned he may have to act first as reports of the death toll in Iran mount and the government continues to arrest protesters.
“I think they’re tired of being beaten by the United States,” Trump said. “Iran wants to negotiate.”
He added: “The meeting is being set up, but we may have to act because of what happens before the meeting. But a meeting is being arranged. Iran has called, they want to negotiate.”
Iran, through the country’s parliamentary speaker, warned on Sunday that the US military and Israel would be “legitimate targets” if America uses force to protect demonstrators.
More than 10,600 people were also detained in the two weeks of protests, said the US-based news agency Human Rights Activists, which has been accurate in previous unrest in recent years and has given the death toll. It relies on supporters in Iran verifying the information. It said 496 of the dead were protesters and 48 were with security forces.
With internet down in Iran and phone lines down, gauging demonstrations abroad has become more difficult. The Associated Press was unable to independently assess the charge. The Iranian government did not provide overall casualty figures.
Those abroad fear the blackout is emboldening hardliners in Iran’s security services to launch a bloody crackdown. Protesters flooded the streets of the country’s capital and its second largest city Saturday night into Sunday morning. Online videos purported to show more demonstrations Sunday night into Monday, with a Tehran official acknowledging them in state media.
At 14:00 on Monday, Iranian state television showed images of demonstrators flocking to Tehran’s Enghelab Square, or “Islamic Revolution” Square in the capital. All morning it broadcast statements from the Iranian government, security and religious leaders to participate in the demonstration.
He called the rally an “Iranian revolt against American-Zionist terrorism,” without addressing the country’s underlying anger at the nation’s struggling economy. State television broadcast images of such demonstrations across the country, trying to signal that it had moved beyond the protests.
Fear permeates the capital of Iran
In Tehran, a witness told AP that the empty streets of the capital at sunset called for prayers every night. By Isha, or night prayer, the streets are deserted.
Part of this comes from the fear of being caught in the crackdown. Police sent a text message to the public warning: “Due to the presence of terrorist groups and armed individuals at some gatherings last night and their plans to cause death, as well as their firm determination not to tolerate any quiet and to deal decisively with those who riot, families are strongly advised to take care of their youth and teenagers.”
Another text, which claimed to be from the intelligence arm of the paramilitary Revolutionary Guard, directly warned people not to participate in the demonstrations.
“Dear parents, in view of the enemy’s plan to increase the level of empty violence and the decision to kill people, … refrain from being on the streets and gathering in places involved in violence and inform your children about the consequences of cooperating with terrorist mercenaries, which is an example of treason against the country,” the text warns.
The witness spoke to AP on condition of anonymity because of the ongoing crackdown.
The demonstrations began on December 28 over the collapse of Iran’s rial, which trades at more than $1.4 million, as the country’s economy is squeezed by international sanctions imposed in part over its nuclear program. The protests intensified and became calls directly challenging Iran’s theocracy.
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Nikhinson reported from aboard Air Force One.