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Amid the massive protests across several provinces in Iran, which had reportedly killed over 500 people, US President Donald Trump on Sunday (local time) said that the Islamic Republic appears to be crossing a "red line" set by his administration, following the reports of the killing, mostly of protestors, prompting Washington to consider what he described as "very strong options".
Speaking to reporters onboard Air Force One, when asked whether Iran had crossed the red line he had drawn over the treatment of protesters, Trump said, "They're starting to, it looks like." The US President, referring to the ongoing protests in the Islamic Republic, added that those in power were ruling through violence. He emphasised that the situation was being closely monitored at the highest levels of the US government. "There seem to be some people killed that aren't supposed to be killed. These are violent - if you call them leaders, I don't know if they're leaders or if they just rule through violence - but we're looking at it very seriously. The military's looking at it. We're looking at some very strong options; we'll make a determination," Trump stated. The US President did not elaborate on the specific actions Washington might take, but according to a New York Times report, Trump was briefed on a range of military options targeting Iran. According to the report, the options presented to Trump include targeted strikes on select sites in Tehran, including non-military infrastructure linked to the regime's internal security apparatus. The briefings are said to be part of contingency planning as the administration evaluates diplomatic, economic and military tools to deter further violence by Iranian authorities. Earlier, Trump said that the US stands ready to help the Middle Eastern country, which is looking at "Freedom" like never before. In his remarks in a post on Truth Social, Trump said, "Iran is looking at FREEDOM, perhaps like never before. The USA stands ready to help!!!" For the last 15 days, Iran has been dealing with severe unrest and protests across several provinces in the country against soaring inflation and economic hardship. The protests have soon escalated into tense nationwide unrest, marked by violent clashes between protesters and security forces. As per the press wing of the Human Rights Activists in Iran (HRA), during the anti-government demonstrations, at least 544 people were reportedly killed, while dozens of other cases are still being investigated. Additionally, more than 10,681 individuals have been taken into custody and transferred to prisons, with demonstrations reported at 585 locations nationwide, covering 186 cities across all 31 provinces, according to HRA. The protests began on December 28 as demonstrations spread across multiple cities, with authorities responding through arrests, crackdowns, and the use of force. US Senator Lindsey Graham also expressed his support for Trump, stating that the "nation's nightmare will soon be coming to an end." "President Trump is not Obama. Freedom now, freedom forever for the long-suffering Iranian people. I believe your nation's nightmare will soon be coming to an end. Make Iran Great Again," Graham said in a post on X. Meanwhile, internet services have been shut down in the Islamic Republic for the past two days, and when Trump was asked if his administration is considering the possibility of enabling internet access in Iran, including through Elon Musk's Starlink service, he said that the discussions were underway; however, no final decision had been made. "We are going to be talking about that. We may get the internet going. We may speak to Elon Musk; I am going to call him," the US President said. (ANI)
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