President Donald Trump said Tuesday he canceled meetings with Iranian officials in response to Tehran’s ongoing crackdown on protesters.
In a post on Truth Social, Trump wrote, “Iranian Patriots, KEEP PROTESTING – TAKE OVER YOUR INSTITUTIONS!!! Save the names of the killers and abusers. They will pay a big price. I have cancelled all meetings with Iranian Officials until the senseless killing of protesters STOPS. HELP IS ON ITS WAY.”
He did not specify what form the promised assistance would take. His comments followed earlier remarks in which he claimed Iran had shown interest in negotiations after his threats of potential military action. Human rights monitors have reported that more than 2,000 people have died in the unrest.
On Sunday, Trump said he believed Iran was “starting to cross” a red line by using fatal force against anti-government demonstrations. He said his administration was weighing “very strong options,” though he did not detail them.
By Monday, White House officials expressed cautious optimism about potential diplomatic outreach. “What you’re hearing publicly from the Iranian regime is quite different from the messages the administration is receiving privately,” White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt said. “The president has shown he’s unafraid to use military options if and when he deems necessary, and nobody knows that better than Iran.”
Also Monday, Trump announced new economic pressure, saying the U.S. would impose a 25% tariff on any country doing business with Tehran, effective immediately. The White House did not release details on how the tariffs would be applied. Countries with economic ties to Iran include China, the United Arab Emirates, Turkey, Brazil, and Russia.
Vice President J.D. Vance, Secretary of State Marco Rubio, and top national security officials met Friday to discuss potential responses, ranging from diplomacy to military action.
