Trump Weighs Iran Response Amid Mass Protests

On Jan 12 2026, President Donald Trump announced the U.S. may meet Iranian officials and has contact with the opposition amid Tehran’s violent crackdown on protests that began Dec 28. Reuters reports 490 protesters and 48 security personnel killed, with more than 10,600 people arrested; Iran’s internet blackout started Thursday. Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araqchi warned of both war and dialogue, saying the situation is “under total control.” Trump, through Air Force One, cited possible military strikes, cyber weapons, and sanctions as potential responses. The Iranian regime’s heavy-handed actions pose one of the biggest challenges to clerical rule since the 1979 Revolution.