U.S. President Donald Trump said on Tuesday he had cancelled talks with Iranian officials amid a deadly crackdown on nationwide protests, urging Iranians to keep demonstrating and saying unspecified “help is on its way.”
In a post on his Truth Social platform, Trump told Iranians to “KEEP PROTESTING – TAKE OVER YOUR INSTITUTIONS!!!” and said he had scrapped all meetings with Iranian officials “until the senseless killing of protesters STOPS.”
Trump later repeated the message during a speech at an auto factory in Michigan but declined to explain what assistance Washington might provide.
“You’re going to have to figure that one out,” Trump told reporters when asked what help he was referring to. He said he did not have confirmed casualty figures but added: “I think it’s a lot. It’s too many, whatever it is.”
The comments marked a sharp shift from Trump’s remarks days earlier, when he said Iran had sought talks with Washington after he warned of possible U.S. military action.
The U.S.-based Human Rights Activists News Agency (HRANA) said on Tuesday that at least 2,000 people had been killed in more than two weeks of protests, including 1,850 demonstrators and 135 government-affiliated personnel. The group also said more than 16,700 people had been detained. Amu TV could not independently verify the figures, and Iran has not released official nationwide casualty data.
Trump has repeatedly warned that the United States could intervene militarily if Iran continues to use lethal force against protesters. On Sunday, he said Tehran was “starting to cross” that line and that his administration was weighing “very strong options.”
On Monday, the White House signalled that diplomacy remained possible. Press secretary Karoline Leavitt said the administration was receiving private messages from Iran that differed from its public rhetoric, though she stressed Trump was prepared to use military force if he deemed it necessary.
Also on Monday, Trump said the United States would impose 25% tariffs “effective immediately” on countries doing business with Iran, though the White House has provided no details on how the measure would be implemented. Countries with trade ties to Iran include China, the United Arab Emirates, Turkey, Brazil and Russia.
Vice President JD Vance, Secretary of State Marco Rubio and senior National Security Council officials began meetings last week to develop options for Trump ranging from renewed diplomacy to military strikes, a U.S. official said.
Iran has warned that U.S. forces and Israel would be “legitimate targets” if Washington intervenes, according to remarks by Iran’s parliamentary speaker.
The protests, sparked by the collapse of Iran’s currency, have spread to all 31 provinces and represent the most serious challenge to the Islamic Republic in years. Internet shutdowns and restrictions on reporting have made it difficult to assess the full scale of the unrest.
