President Donald Trump says Iran has proposed negotiations after his threat to strike the Islamic Republic as an ongoing crackdown on demonstrators has led\u2026<\/b>
\nU.S. President Donald Trump says Iran has proposed negotiations after his threat to strike the Islamic Republic as an ongoing crackdown on demonstrators has led to hundreds of deaths.
Trump said late Sunday that his administration was in talks to set up a meeting with Tehran, but cautioned that he may have to act first as reports mount of increasing deaths and the government continues to arrest protesters.
\u201cThe meeting is being set up, but we may have to act because of what\u2019s happening before the meeting. But a meeting is being set up. Iran called, they want to negotiate,\u201d Trump told reporters on Air Force One on Sunday night.
Iran did not acknowledge Trump\u2019s comments immediately. It has previously warned the U.S. military and Israel would be \u201clegitimate targets\u201d if America uses force to protect demonstrators.
The U.S.-based Human Rights Activists News Agency, which has accurately reported on past unrest in Iran, gave the death toll. It relies on supporters in Iran cross checking information. It said at least 544 people have been killed so far, including 496 protesters and 48 people from the security forces. It said more than 10,600 people also have been detained over the two weeks of protests.
With the internet down in Iran and phone lines cut off, gauging the demonstrations from abroad has grown more difficult. Iran\u2019s government has not offered overall casualty figures.
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A witness told the AP that the streets of Tehran empty at the sunset call to prayers each night.
Part of that stems from the fear of getting caught in the crackdown. Police sent the public a text message that warned: \u201cGiven the presence of terrorist groups and armed individuals in some gatherings last night and their plans to cause death, and the firm decision to not tolerate any appeasement and to deal decisively with the rioters, families are strongly advised to take care of their youth and teenagers.\u201d
Another text, addressed \u201cDear parents,\u201d which claimed to come from the intelligence arm of the paramilitary Revolutionary Guard, also directly warned people not to take part in demonstrations.
The witness spoke to the AP on condition of anonymity due to the ongoing crackdown.
– By Jon Gambrell in Dubai, United Arab Emirates
Iran drew tens of thousands of pro-government demonstrators to the streets Monday in a show of power after nationwide protests challenging the country\u2019s theocracy.
Iranian state television showed images of demonstrators thronging Tehran toward Enghelab Square in the capital.
It called the demonstration an \u201cIranian uprising against American-Zionist terrorism,\u201d without addressing the underlying anger in the country over the nation\u2019s ailing economy. That sparked the protests over two weeks ago.
State television aired images of such demonstrations around the country, trying to signal it had overcome the protests, as claimed by Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi earlier in the day.
China says it opposes the use of force in international relations and expressed hope the Iranian government and people are \u201cable to overcome the current difficulties and maintain national stability.\u201d
Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Mao Ning said Monday that Beijing \u201calways opposes interference in other countries\u2019 internal affairs, maintains that the sovereignty and security of all countries should be fully protected under international law, and opposes the use or threat of use of force in international relations.\u201d
German Chancellor Friedrich Merz condemned \u201cin the strongest terms the violence that the leadership in Iran is directing against its own people.\u201d
He said it was a sign of weakness rather than strength, adding that \u201cthis violence must end.\u201d
Merz said during a visit to India that the demonstrators deserve \u201cthe greatest respect\u201d for the courage with which \u201cthey are resisting the disproportional, brutal violence of Iranian security forces.\u201d
He said: \u201cI call on the Iranian leadership to protect its population rather than threatening it.\u201d
Iran\u2019s Foreign Ministry spokesman on Monday suggested that a channel remained open with the United States.
Esmail Baghaei made the comment during a news conference in Tehran.
\u201cIt is open and whenever needed, through that channel, the necessary messages are exchanged,\u201d he said.
However, Baghaei said such talks needed to be \u201cbased on the acceptance of mutual interests and concerns, not a negotiation that is one-sided, unilateral and based on dictation.\u201d
The semiofficial Fars news agency in Iran, which is close to the paramilitary Revolutionary Guard, on Monday began calling out Iranian celebrities and leaders on social media who have expressed support for the protests over the past two weeks, especially before the internet was shut down.
The threat comes as writers and other cultural leaders were targeted even before protests. The news agency highlighted specific celebrities who posted in solidarity with the protesters and scolded them for not condemning vandalism and destruction to public property or the deaths of security forces killed during clashes. The news agency accused those celebrities and leaders of inciting riots by expressing their support.
Canada said it \u201cstands with the brave people of Iran\u201d in a statement on social media that strongly condemned the killing of protesters during widespread protests that have rocked the country over the past two weeks.
\u201cThe Iranian regime must halt its horrific repression and intimidation and respect the human rights of its citizens,\u201d Canada\u2019s government said on Monday.
Iran\u2019s foreign minister claimed Monday that \u201cthe situation has come under total control\u201d after a bloody crackdown on nationwide protests in the country.
Abbas Araghchi offered no evidence for his claim.
Araghchi spoke to foreign diplomats in Tehran. The Qatar-funded Al Jazeera satellite news network, which has been allowed to work despite the internet being cut off in the country, carried his remarks.
Iran\u2019s foreign minister alleged Monday that nationwide protests in his nation \u201cturned violent and bloody to give an excuse\u201d for U.S. President Donald Trump to intervene.
Abbas Araghchi offered no evidence for his claim, which comes after over 500 have been reported killed by activists \u2014 the vast majority coming from demonstrators.
Araghchi spoke to foreign diplomats in Tehran. The Qatar-funded Al Jazeera satellite news network, which has been allowed to work despite the internet being cut off in the country, carried his remarks.
Iran has summoned the British ambassador over protesters twice taking down the Iranian flag at their embassy in London.
Iranian state television also said Monday that it complained about \u201ccertain terrorist organization that, under the guise of media, spread lies and promote violence and terrorism.\u201d The United Kingdom is home to offices of the BBC\u2019s Persian service and Iran International, both which long have been targeted by Iran.
A huge crowd of demonstrators, some waving the flag of Iran, gathered Sunday afternoon along Veteran Avenue in LA\u2019s Westwood neighborhood to protest against the Iranian government. Police eventually issued a dispersal order, and by early evening only about a hundred protesters were still in the area, ABC7 reported.
Los Angeles is home to the largest Iranian community outside of Iran.
Los Angeles police responded Sunday after somebody drove a U-Haul box truck down a street crowded with the the demonstrators, causing protesters to scramble out of the way and then run after the speeding vehicle to try to attack the driver. A police statement said one person was hit by the truck but nobody was seriously hurt.
The driver, a man who was not identified, was detained \u201cpending further investigation,\u201d police said in a statement Sunday evening.
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