Demise toll from protests in Iran will increase as Trump says Iran needs to speak : NPR

[ad_1] <img src="https://npr.brightspotcdn.com/dims3/default/strip/false/crop/6000x4000+0+0/resize/1100/quality/50/format/jpeg/?url=http%3A%2F%2Fnpr-brightspot.s3.amazonaws.com%2F17%2F28%2Fe062d29944f692715a8d86beaaae%2Fap26011338635181.jpg" data-template="https://npr.brightspotcdn.com/dims3/default/strip/false/crop/6000x4000+0+0/resize/{width}/quality/{quality}/format/{format}/?url=http%3A%2F%2Fnpr-brightspot.s3.amazonaws.com%2F17%2F28%2Fe062d29944f692715a8d86beaaae%2Fap26011338635181.jpg" class="img" alt="In this frame grab from footage circulating on social media shows protesters dancing and cheering around a bonfire as they take to the streets despite an intensifying crackdown as the Islamic Republic remains cut off from the rest of the world, in Tehran, Iran, Friday, Jan. 9, 2026." fetchpriority="high"/> On this body seize from footage circulating on social media exhibits protesters dancing and cheering round a bonfire as they take to the streets regardless of an intensifying crackdown because the Islamic Republic stays minimize off from the remainder of the world, in Tehran, Iran, Friday, Jan. 9, 2026. AP/UGC disguise caption

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AP/UGC DUBAI, United Arab Emirates — U.S. President Donald Trump stated Sunday that Iran proposed negotiations after his risk to strike the Islamic Republic over its bloody crackdown concentrating on demonstrators there, a transfer coming as activists stated the loss of life toll in protests rose to no less than 544.

Trump and his nationwide safety crew have been weighing a variety of potential responses in opposition to Iran together with cyberattacks and direct strikes by the U.S. or Israel, in response to two folks accustomed to inside White Home discussions who weren't approved to remark publicly and spoke on situation of anonymity.

"The navy is it, and we're some very sturdy choices," Trump advised reporters on Air Drive One on Sunday evening. Requested about Iran's threats of retaliation, he stated: "In the event that they do this, we are going to hit them at ranges that they've by no means been hit earlier than."

Trump stated that his administration was in talks to arrange a gathering with Tehran, however cautioned that he could must act first as studies of the loss of life toll in Iran mount and the federal government continues to arrest protesters.

"I believe they're uninterested in being beat up by the US," Trump stated. "Iran needs to barter."

He added: "The assembly is being arrange, however we could must act due to what's occurring earlier than the assembly. However a gathering is being arrange. Iran referred to as, they wish to negotiate."

There was no fast acknowledgment from Iran of the providing for a gathering. The huge ongoing U.S. navy deployment to the Caribbean is an element that the Pentagon and Trump's nationwide safety planners should think about. Tehran additionally warned that the U.S. navy and Israel could be "legit targets" if America makes use of drive to guard demonstrators. Trump in the meantime stated the Islamic Republic reached out and proposed negotiations.

Greater than 10,600 folks even have been detained over the 2 weeks of protests, stated the U.S.-based Human Rights Activists Information Company, which has been correct in earlier unrest lately and gave the loss of life toll. It depends on supporters in Iran crosschecking info. It stated 496 of the useless had been protesters and 48 had been with safety forces.

With the web down in Iran and cellphone traces minimize off, gauging the demonstrations from overseas has grown harder. The Related Press has been unable to independently assess the toll. Iran's authorities has not provided general casualty figures.

These overseas concern the knowledge blackout is emboldening hard-liners inside Iran's safety companies to launch a bloody crackdown. Protesters flooded the streets within the nation's capital and its second-largest metropolis on Saturday evening into Sunday morning. On-line movies purported to point out extra demonstrations Sunday evening into Monday, with a Tehran official acknowledging them in state media.

Defiance in parliament The risk to strike the U.S. navy and Israel got here throughout a parliamentary speech by Mohammad Baagher Qalibaf, the hard-liner speaker of the physique who has run for the presidency up to now.

He immediately threatened Israel, calling it "the occupied territory."

"Within the occasion of an assault on Iran, each the occupied territory and all American navy facilities, bases and ships within the area will probably be our legit targets," Qalibaf stated. "We don't think about ourselves restricted to reacting after the motion and can act based mostly on any goal indicators of a risk."

Lawmakers rushed the dais in parliament, shouting: "Demise to America!"

It stays unclear how critical Iran is about launching a strike, notably after its air defenses had been destroyed throughout the 12-day struggle in June with Israel. Any resolution to go to struggle would relaxation with Iran's 86-year-old Supreme Chief Ayatollah Ali Khamenei.

The U.S. navy has stated within the Mideast it's "postured with forces that span the total vary of fight functionality to defend our forces, our companions and allies and U.S. pursuits." Iran focused U.S. forces at Al Udeid Air Base in Qatar in June, whereas the U.S. Navy's Mideast-based fifth Fleet is stationed within the island kingdom of Bahrain.

Israel, in the meantime, is "watching carefully" the state of affairs between the U.S. and Iran, stated an Israeli official, who spoke on situation of anonymity as a result of not being approved to talk to journalists. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu spoke with U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio in a single day on matters together with Iran, the official added.

"The folks of Israel, your complete world, are in awe of the super heroism of the residents of Iran," stated Netanyahu, a longtime Iran hawk.

On the Vatican, Pope Leo XIV talked about Iran as a spot "the place ongoing tensions proceed to assert many lives," including that "I hope and pray that dialogue and peace could also be patiently nurtured in pursuit of the frequent good of the entire of society."

Demonstrations had been held in some worldwide capitals in help of the protesters. A spokesperson stated United Nations Secretary-Common Antonio Guterres was "shocked" by studies of violence in opposition to protesters leading to "scores of deaths" and referred to as on Iranian authorities to make use of most restraint and restore communications.

Protests in Tehran and Mashhad On-line movies despatched out of Iran, doubtless utilizing Starlink satellite tv for pc transmitters, purportedly confirmed demonstrators gathering in northern Tehran's Punak neighborhood. There, it appeared authorities shut off streets, with protesters waving their lit cell phones. Others banged metallic whereas fireworks went off.

In Mashhad, Iran's second-largest metropolis some 725 kilometers (450 miles) northeast of Tehran, footage purported to point out protesters confronting safety forces. Protests additionally appeared to occur in Kerman, 800 kilometers (500 miles) southeast of Tehran.

Iranian state tv on Sunday morning had correspondents seem on the streets in a number of cities to point out calm areas, with a date stamp proven on display screen. Tehran and Mashhad weren't included.

The demonstrations started Dec. 28 over the collapse of the Iranian rial forex, which trades at over 1.4 million to $1, because the nation's financial system is squeezed by worldwide sanctions partly levied over its nuclear program. The protests intensified and grew into calls immediately difficult Iran's theocracy.