Tehran said on Monday that it was keeping lines of communication open with Washington as U.S. President Donald Trump weighed how to respond to Iran’s deadly crackdown on nationwide protests, one of the most serious challenges to clerical rule since the 1979 Islamic Revolution.
Escalating pressure, Trump announced late Monday that any country doing business with Iran would face a new 25% tariff on its exports to the United States. Posting on social media, he said the decision was “final and conclusive,” but offered no details on the legal basis or whether all of Iran’s trading partners would be targeted. The White House did not comment further.
Iran’s mission to the United Nations declined to respond. Already subject to extensive U.S. sanctions, Iran exports most of its oil to China, with Turkey, Iraq, the United Arab Emirates and India among its other major trading partners. China criticised Washington’s approach, vowing to take “all necessary measures” to protect its interests and opposing what it called unilateral and extraterritorial sanctions.
Trump has warned Iran’s leadership of possible U.S. military action if security forces fire on protesters. He said on Sunday that Washington could meet Iranian officials and that he was in contact with opposition figures.
Iran’s leadership, whose regional influence has waned, is facing widespread demonstrations that began over severe economic hardship and have evolved into open calls for the overthrow of the clerical establishment. U.S.-based rights group HRANA said it had verified 646 deaths by late Monday, including 505 protesters, and reported more than 10,700 arrests since the unrest began on December 28. Reuters could not independently verify the figures. HRANA also cited reports of families gathering at burial sites in Tehran and chanting protest slogans.
White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt said diplomacy remained Trump’s preferred option, noting that private messages from Tehran differed from its public statements. Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araqchi said communication with U.S. envoy Steve Witkoff had continued before and after the protests, though he said Washington’s proposals conflicted with U.S. threats.
The U.S. State Department warned American citizens in Iran to consider leaving via land routes to Armenia or Turkey, citing heightened risks of questioning, arrest and detention.
Iran has not released an official death toll and has blamed the violence on foreign interference and what it describes as U.S.- and Israeli-backed “terrorists.” State media has focused on the deaths of security personnel, while an internet blackout has restricted information flows, though some access remains through satellite services.
Iran’s intelligence ministry said it had arrested “terrorist” cells accused of killings, arson attacks on mosques, and assaults on military sites. Speaking at a rally in Tehran, parliament speaker Mohammad Baqer Qalibaf said the country was fighting on multiple fronts, including economic, psychological and military warfare. Araqchi said dozens of mosques and ambulances had been set ablaze but insisted the situation was under control.
Despite the scale of the protests, there are no visible splits within Iran’s clerical leadership or security forces, and the opposition remains fragmented. Trump said Iran had reached out to negotiate over its nuclear programme, though he warned that action could come before any meeting. U.S. officials said options under discussion include cyber operations, expanded sanctions and possible military strikes, though such actions carry significant risks.
Iranian officials warned the United States against miscalculation, threatening retaliation against U.S. bases and Israel if Iran is attacked. Oil prices climbed to seven-week highs on Monday amid fears that unrest and a potential U.S. response could disrupt Iranian exports.
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