President Donald Trump’s administration is weighing multiple responses to Iran’s nationwide protests, with air strikes among the “many options” being considered.
“One thing President Trump is very good at is always keeping all of his options on the table. Air strikes would be just one of the many options available to the commander in chief,” White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt told reporters Monday. She emphasized, however, that diplomacy remains the primary focus.
Trump had previously warned that the U.S. would act militarily if Iranian authorities killed protesters. Nationwide demonstrations in Iran over rising inflation, which began Dec. 28, have reportedly claimed at least 646 lives, according to the Associated Press.
On Sunday, Trump said Iran wants to negotiate with Washington. The comments followed a visit to Tehran by Oman’s foreign minister, an intermediary between the two countries.
Iran did not respond directly to Trump’s comments.
Meanwhile, adding to threats of military action, Trump late on Monday announced in a post on Truth Social that any country doing business with Iran, a major oil producer, will face a new tariff of 25% on its exports to the U.S.
“This Order is final and conclusive,” Trump wrote. Iran, already under heavy U.S. sanctions, exports much of its oil to China. Other major trading partners include Turkey, Iraq, the United Arab Emirates, and India.
Iran has yet to comment on the latest U.S. actions.
