President Donald Trump announced the suspension of all meetings with Iranian officials, condemning the “senseless killing” of protesters as the immediate cause
By Amjad Qaimkhani
WASHINGTON: US President Donald Trump urged Iranians on Tuesday to keep protesting and said help was on the way, without providing details, as Iran’s clerical establishment pressed its crackdown on the largest demonstrations in years.
“Iranian Patriots, KEEP PROTESTING – TAKE OVER YOUR INSTITUTIONS!!!… HELP IS ON ITS WAY,” Trump wrote in a post on Truth Social. He added that he had cancelled all meetings with Iranian officials until the “senseless killing” of protesters stopped.
The unrest, driven by severe economic pressures, has posed the biggest internal challenge to Iran’s clerical rulers in at least three years. It comes amid intensifying international scrutiny following Israeli and US strikes last year. An Iranian official said earlier on Tuesday that around 2,000 people had been killed in the protests. This marked the first time authorities acknowledged the high death toll from two weeks of nationwide unrest.
The official, speaking to Reuters on condition of anonymity, said people he described as terrorists were responsible for the deaths of both protesters and security personnel. No detailed breakdown of casualties was provided. On Monday evening, Trump announced 25% import tariffs on products from any country doing business with Iran, a major oil exporter. He has also said that further military action is among the options under consideration. Earlier this month, he warned, “we are locked and loaded.”
Tehran has not responded publicly to the announcement of the tariffs. The move was swiftly condemned by China. Iran, already under heavy US sanctions, exports much of its oil to China. Other major trading partners include Turkey, Iraq, the United Arab Emirates, and India.
However, uncertainty persists internationally. Russia criticized what it called “subversive external interference” in Iran’s domestic affairs. It said US threats of military strikes were “categorically unacceptable.” The Russian Foreign Ministry warned that any attempt to exploit unrest to repeat the June 2025 aggression against Iran would have “disastrous consequences” for the Middle East and global security.
