Iran protests LIVE: Country says ‘ready for war’; Trump ‘briefed on psychological, cyber options’

Iran said on Monday that it is keeping communication channels open with Washington as US President Donald Trump weighs how to respond to Tehran’s deadly crackdown on nationwide protests — one of the most serious challenges to the Islamic Republic since the 1979 revolution.

Protests that began more than two weeks ago over economic hardship have escalated into a broad-based movement questioning Iran’s theocratic system under Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, analysts say.

Trump ramps up pressure

Late on Monday, Trump announced that any country doing business with Iran would face a 25 per cent tariff on exports to the United States. Posting on social media, Trump said the order would be “final and conclusive,” though he did not specify the legal authority for the move or clarify whether it would apply to all of Iran’s trading partners. The White House declined to comment.

The tariff threat adds to Trump’s warnings of possible military action if Iran continues its violent suppression of protests.

Iran says it is ready for talks and conflict

Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi said Tehran is prepared for both war and diplomacy, following repeated threats from Trump. “The Islamic Republic is ready for war and talks,” he said, according to Iranian media.

Despite the absence of formal diplomatic relations, Iran said lines of communication with the Trump administration remain open. Foreign ministry spokesman Esmaeil Baghaei said messages are exchanged “whenever necessary” between Araghchi and US special envoy for the Middle East Steve Witkoff. US interests in Iran are represented by the Swiss embassy.

Rising death toll, arrests and internet blackout

The US-based Human Rights Activists News Agency (HRANA) said it had verified at least 646 deaths as of late Monday, including 505 protesters, 113 members of the military and security forces, and seven bystanders. The group said it was investigating reports of hundreds more deaths.

HRANA also reported that at least 10,721 people have been arrested since the protests began on December 28.

Iranian authorities have imposed a nationwide internet blackout that has lasted more than three-and-a-half days. Activists say the shutdown is aimed at concealing the scale of the crackdown and limiting the flow of information out of the country.

As tensions rise, Washington and Tehran appear to be balancing open back-channel communication with increasingly sharp public threats, raising concerns of further escalation.