Trump: Iran seeks negotiation after warning of military intervention
Note: AI technology was used to generate this article’s audio.
- Trump says Iran initiated contact to negotiate after U.S. warnings over protests.
- Iranian crackdown has left hundreds dead, drawing global concern and potential US response.
US President Donald Trump stated on January 11 that Iran’s leadership has approached the United States to propose negotiations following his warnings of possible military action amid nationwide protests.
Speaking aboard Air Force One, Trump said Iranian officials contacted US authorities and that discussions between the two sides are being arranged. He added, “I think they’re tired of being beat up by the United States. Iran wants to negotiate.”
Trump cautioned that the US might act before any formal meeting occurs, citing the ongoing violence in Iran, where authorities’ crackdown on demonstrations has resulted in hundreds of fatalities. “The military is looking at it, and we’re considering very strong options,” he said.
According to the Human Rights Activists News Agency (HRANA), at least 544 people have died and roughly 10,681 have been detained since protests erupted on December 28, 2025. HRANA reported that 483 of the deaths were protesters, while 47 were law enforcement personnel. The demonstrations have now reached all 31 provinces of Iran.
The unrest, fueled by skyrocketing inflation and the collapse of the Iranian rial, has prompted authorities to restrict internet and phone access nationwide, making independent verification of casualties difficult.
Earlier in January, Trump warned on social media that the U.S. would intervene if Iranian forces escalated lethal measures against demonstrators. His remarks prompted strong reactions from Iranian leaders. On January 11, Iranian parliament speaker Mohammad Baqer Qalibaf warned that ‘Israel’ and U.S. military bases would be legitimate targets if America launched strikes.
Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei framed the protests as attempts to please Trump, while Iran’s Chief Justice Gholamhossein Mohseni-Ejei vowed that penalties for protesters would be “decisive, maximum, and without any legal leniency.”
The situation remains tense as US-Iran relations face heightened scrutiny amid growing domestic unrest in Tehran and across Iran.
