US President Donald Trump announced on Tuesday that he was canceling all meetings with Iranian officials "until the senseless killing of protesters stops." In a post on TRUTH, Trump urged Iranians to continue demonstrating against the regime, writing: "Iranian patriots, keep protesting. Take over your institutions."
Earlier, an official Iranian source acknowledged that about 2,000 people had been killed in the crackdown on the protests, while the opposition outlet Iran International put the death toll at around 12,000.
Trump's statement came as the National Security Council convened at the White House on Tuesday to discuss US options against Iran. The meeting was to be led by National Security Adviser and Secretary of State Marco Rubio, together with Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth. Israel Hayom has learned that Reza Pahlavi, the son of Iran's deposed shah, may also take part in the discussion.
Earlier reports said Iran had approached the Trump administration in an effort to resume diplomatic talks. Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi reached out to Trump envoy Steve Witkoff over the weekend, and the two discussed the possibility of a meeting in the coming days. An Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesperson said on Monday that "the communication channel between Araghchi and Witkoff is open."
There are divisions within the Trump administration over how to respond to the protests in Iran. Vice President JD Vance and envoy Steve Witkoff support entering negotiations, albeit with preconditions. By contrast, Secretary of State Rubio and War Secretary Hegseth argue that US intervention is required, at least in the form of sanctions and a commercial blockade.
According to a report by Amwaj Media, which cites sources in Tehran, figures within Iran's political establishment are pushing to renew contacts with the Trump administration in an effort to prevent escalation and secure sanctions relief. These efforts come against the backdrop of the crackdown on protests that erupted on December 28 and US threats to act in support of the demonstrators. A senior political figure in Tehran told the outlet that if the US were to follow through on its threat to attack, the diplomatic effort would collapse.
Political sources in Tehran also speculate that Omani Foreign Minister Badr Albusaidi carried a message from the Trump administration when he visited Tehran on Saturday. Albusaidi met with President Masoud Pezeshkian, National Security Adviser Ali Larijani and Foreign Minister Araghchi. "Some claim Albusaidi delivered an ultimatum from the Americans," an Iranian political source told Amwaj Media. Another senior official rejected that claim, saying that "he did not bring a message or an ultimatum, but rather several ideas."
