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US President Donald Trump has announced that he has cancelled all meetings with Iranian officials and declared that “help is on its way” to protesters in Iran, raising concerns about possible American intervention.
In a post shared on social media on Tuesday morning, Trump urged demonstrators to continue protesting and accused Iranian authorities of killing and abusing civilians.
“Iranian patriots, KEEP PROTESTING – TAKE OVER YOUR INSTITUTIONS!!! Save the names of the killers and abusers. They will pay a big price,” Trump wrote. “I have cancelled all meetings with Iranian officials until the senseless killing of protesters STOPS. HELP IS ON ITS WAY.”
The president is expected to meet with top US officials, including Secretary of State Marco Rubio, Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth, Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Gen. Dan Caine, and other senior leaders to consider options regarding Iran.
Trump has warned that military action could precede any diplomatic engagement if the situation continues to deteriorate. Speaking to reporters earlier, he said: “A meeting is being set up, but we may have to act before a meeting.”
Protests have spread nationwide in Iran since December 28. According to the US‑based human rights group HRANA, at least 600 people have been killed, though other reports suggest the death toll could be significantly higher.
Trump later told reporters aboard Air Force One that Iranian officials had reached out to his administration to explore negotiations. This was echoed by Iran’s Foreign Ministry spokesperson, Esmaeil Baghaei, who confirmed on Monday that communication channels between Foreign Minister Abbas Araqchi and US special envoy Steve Witkoff remain open.
However, Iranian officials have also issued strong warnings. Mohammad Ghalibaf, Iran’s parliamentary speaker, said on Sunday that any US military action would be met with retaliation.
“If the United States takes military action, both the occupied territories and US military and shipping lanes will be our legitimate targets,” Ghalibaf said, adding that US and Israeli military bases could also be targeted.
Speaking again on Sunday night, Trump said the US military was actively assessing the situation. “The military is looking at it, and we’re looking at some very strong options,” he said.
Asked about Iran’s threats of retaliation, Trump responded: “If they do that, we will hit them at levels that they’ve never been hit before.”
