Daijiworld Media Network - Washington
Washington, Jan 13: US President Donald Trump issued a sharp public message backing ongoing protests in Iran, announcing that he has cancelled all meetings with Iranian officials and warning that those responsible for violence against demonstrators would “pay a big price”.
In a post on his social media platform Truth Social, Trump urged Iranians to continue protesting and to document alleged abuses by authorities, ahead of a meeting with his national security team to discuss possible options on Iran. “Iranian Patriots, KEEP PROTESTING – TAKE OVER YOUR INSTITUTIONS!!! Save the names of the killers and abusers. They will pay a big price,” he wrote.
Trump said he halted diplomatic engagement with Tehran in response to what he described as the “senseless killing of protesters”. “I have cancelled all meetings with Iranian officials until the senseless killing of protesters STOPS,” he said, adding, “HELP IS ON ITS WAY.”
The remarks come amid intensifying unrest across Iran, where nationwide protests triggered by economic hardship have entered their third week. Iranian authorities have responded with a heavy security crackdown, blaming the violence on what they call rioters and foreign-backed “vandals”. Opposition groups and human rights organisations, however, have accused security forces of using lethal force against demonstrators.
An Iranian official told Reuters that about 2,000 people, including members of the security forces, have been killed during the unrest. This marks the first time authorities have acknowledged such a high death toll. The official claimed that those described as “terrorists” were responsible for the deaths of both protesters and security personnel, without providing a detailed breakdown.
The protests are being described as the most serious internal challenge to Iran’s clerical leadership in at least three years and come amid heightened international pressure following Israeli and US strikes last year. Iran’s leadership, in power since the 1979 Islamic Revolution, has adopted a dual approach by calling economic grievances legitimate while enforcing strict security measures.
Authorities have accused the US and Israel of fomenting unrest and claimed the demonstrations have been hijacked by armed groups. Human rights organisations have earlier reported that hundreds of protesters were killed and thousands arrested, though communications restrictions and internet blackouts have made independent verification difficult.