Trump says US considering military options amid Iran unrest

US President Donald Trump has said that Washington is reviewing various responses to escalating unrest in Iran, including potential military options, as large-scale anti-government protests continue across the country.

“Apparently, there are people who were killed and shouldn’t have been. These are violent individuals. If you call them leaders, I don’t know if that’s appropriate. They govern the country through violence. We are taking this very seriously. The military is reviewing it. We are looking at very strong options. A decision will be made,” Trump said.

Trump also revealed plans to discuss restoring internet access in Iran with Elon Musk, following government-imposed communications blackouts amid the protests.

Additionally, the president said he was contacted by Iranian authorities for negotiations. “Yesterday they called me. Iran wants to negotiate. I think they are tired of the US strikes. Iran wants to negotiate with us,” he added.

The unrest in Iran began in late December. According to the latest figures from the US Center for Human Rights, at least 544 people have been killed during the protests, and for more than 84 hours, most of the Iranian population has been without internet access.