Trump says endgame in Iran is “winning”

• President Trump warned of "very strong action" if the Iranian regime begins hanging protesters, telling CBS News that officials would "pay a big price" for crossing this red line.
• The warning comes as reports indicate a big death toll, with HRANA and CBS News reporting thousands killed during a five-day internet blackout, prompting Trump to cancel all official meetings with Tehran.

President Donald Trump said Tuesday that the United States would react strongly if authorities in Iran started hanging people in their crackdown on a popular uprising against the government.

"We will take very strong action if they do such a thing," he told CBS News in an interview, when asked about hangings potentially beginning on Wednesday.

"When they start killing thousands of people -- and now you're telling me about hanging. We'll see how that's going to work out for them," Trump said in a video clip released online.

The interview took place as Trump was in the northern US state of Michigan to visit a manufacturing plant and deliver a speech on the economy.

In his speech, Trump reiterated a message he had posted earlier on social media, that "help is on its way" for the Iranian protesters.

He also said it was unclear what the death toll in Iran actually was.

"I hear numbers -- look, one death is too much -- but I hear much lower numbers, and then I hear much higher numbers," he said.

Later, speaking to reporters on his return to Washington, Trump said he would soon be receiving a briefing on Iran.

"The killing looks like it's significant, but we don't know yet for certain. I'll know within 20 minutes -- and we'll act accordingly," he said.

Trump had previously vowed the United States would get involved if protesters were killed, a line crossed days ago.

According to the Norway-based NGO Iran Human Rights, at least 734 people are confirmed to have been killed, with the actual death toll likely in the thousands.

Fears have also grown that the Islamic republic could use the death penalty to crack down on the protests, after Tehran prosecutors said authorities would press capital charges of "waging war against God," against some suspects arrested over recent demonstrations.