US President Donald Trump has said he is considering a range of measures in response to the escalating unrest in Iran, including possible military action.
“We are looking into that possibility”he said in response to a journalist’s question whether he was seriously considering the possibility of using military force against Iran.
Trump also raised the possibility that the US could take steps to restore Internet access in Iran, including with the help of Elon Musk’s Starlink.
At the same time, Trump said that Iran had contacted the United States and offered negotiations after the American leader threatened to take action in response to the crackdown on protesters in the Islamic Republic, the Associated Press reported.
In comments to reporters aboard Air Force One, Trump said his administration was in talks to arrange a meeting with Tehran, but warned he may have to act as the death toll in Iran rises and the government continues to arrest protesters.
“I think they’re tired of being beaten by the United States,” Trump said. “Iran wants to negotiate”he added.
According to him, on January 10, representatives of Iran contacted the US on “nuclear issues”, and he admitted that a “meeting with them” could be organized. Trump also noted that Washington is in contact with opposition forces in Iran.
At least 538 people have been killed in the violence surrounding the demonstrations, including at least 490 protesters, the Guardian reported, citing Human Rights Watch. And he adds that more than 10,600 people have been arrested.
The British publication commented that the brutal crackdown on the protests raised the possibility of US intervention after Trump said he would “rescue” the demonstrators if the Iranian government continued the killings. He repeated his threat to intervene on Saturday night. “Iran is looking to freedom, perhaps like never before. The US is ready to help!”the American president wrote on his social network “Truth Social”.
In response, Iranian Parliament Speaker Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf warned Washington that it was making a “misjudgment”.
“Let me be clear – in the event of an attack on Iran, the occupied territories, as well as all American bases and ships, will be our legitimate target”threatened Ghalibaf, who is a former commander in Iran’s elite Revolutionary Guard.
What are the options before Trump?
Sp. “Economist” analyzes what are the possibilities before Trump, who is under pressure to turn his words into actions.
Symbolic airstrike against the regime could intensify the protests, but it could easily turn into a backfire against the American president himself, as it would be taken as a signal that Trump is not serious about his intentions. Protesters will become discouraged, which will lead to stricter measures against them by the regime.
Instead, the American president can consider a larger attack against the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC). This would be a tangible blow and a psychological boost for the opposition. However, airstrikes will not stop the KGIR and its affiliated groups from shooting at protesters in the streets. It could also put off protests by many Iranians who fear a state collapse, as has happened in other Middle Eastern countries.
The most radical option would be for the US to target senior regime figures, perhaps even Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei. Trump may be tempted to try to repeat his recent success in Venezuela, but such a mission would be much more complicated in Iran. In the ensuing power struggle, however, a disorganized protest movement that still lacks a clear leader will be placed at a disadvantage. The most likely winners would again be KGIR and their political allies, writes “Economist”.
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