Donald Trump is expected to meet with senior US officials on Tuesday to review Washington’s options in response to Iran’s crackdown on mass anti-government protests.
The president will meet with senior aides, including secretary of state Marco Rubio and defence secretary Pete Hegseth, on Tuesday to weigh up options, including military strikes and sanctions, according to The Wall Street Journal.
It comes after Iran’s parliamentary speaker warned on Sunday that Tehran would consider Israel and US bases and ships to be fair targets if Washington does involve itself, raising fears of a wider regional conflict.
Over the weekend, authorities tightened their grip on the unrest as protesters were warned that they could face the death penalty for causing damage to property. The military accused foreign “enemies” of fuelling the unrest, meanwhile, and urged civilians to stay vigilant against so-called “enemy plots”.
The US-based rights group HRANA reported on Sunday evening that the death toll has surpassed 500, and that more than 10,000 people had been arrested. They noted difficulty sourcing reliable information with Iran maintaining its internet blackout nationwide.