Washington — President Donald Trump said Tuesday that he has canceled plans for talks with Iranian officials amid a deadly government crackdown on nationwide protests, issuing a direct message to Iranian citizens urging them to continue demonstrating and promising that “help is on its way.”
Trump offered no details about what that help would involve. His statement marked an abrupt shift from comments just days earlier, when he said Iran was seeking negotiations with Washington following U.S. threats of possible military action against the Islamic Republic.
“Iranian Patriots, KEEP PROTESTING – TAKE OVER YOUR INSTITUTIONS!!!” Trump wrote in a morning post on Truth Social. “Save the names of the killers and abusers. They will pay a big price. I have cancelled all meetings with Iranian Officials until the senseless killing of protesters STOPS. HELP IS ON ITS WAY.”
The message came as human rights monitors reported that the death toll from protests across Iran has climbed to more than 2,000, with arrests exceeding 16,700. The Human Rights Activists News Agency said demonstrations have occurred in all 31 provinces, with more than 600 protests recorded nationwide.
Trump has repeatedly warned Tehran that the United States could take military action if Iranian authorities continued using deadly force against antigovernment protesters. On Sunday, he said Iran was “starting to cross” that line, prompting his national security team to weigh “very strong options,” even as he acknowledged private outreach from Iranian officials.
As recently as Monday, White House officials expressed guarded optimism about diplomacy. Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt told reporters that public statements from Iran differed from private messages received by the administration, adding that Trump was open to exploring those signals while remaining prepared to use military force if necessary.
Also on Monday, Trump said he would impose 25% tariffs on countries doing business with Tehran, effective immediately, though the White House has not yet provided details. Nations with economic 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 meeting Friday to develop options for the president, ranging from diplomatic engagement to potential military strikes.
Iran has warned that any U.S. or Israeli military action would make their forces “legitimate targets.” Iranian state media has offered limited coverage of the protests, making the scale of the unrest difficult to verify. Online videos have shown brief, often shaky footage of crowds, street confrontations, and gunfire.
Trump’s escalating rhetoric toward Iran comes as he manages multiple foreign policy crises worldwide, adding to growing global uncertainty over how the standoff with Tehran will unfold.
Credit: Associated Press
