Trump considering ‘very strong’ military options in Iran after 500 killed in protests

Iran says they are 'ready for war, but also dialogue'

Tensions in Iran once again rose around December time as the value of Iran's currency, the Iranian rial, plummeted to a point where in early January one US dollar equalled 1.4 million rials.

This led to thousands of people taking to the streets in protest, not just due to the economic state of the country, but also general anti-government sentiment.

The US-based Human Rights Activist News Agency (HRANA) says it has verified the deaths of nearly 500 protesters and 48 security personnel in Iran.

However, many believe this number could be higher.

With all this unrest and a complicated past with the West, Trump has decided to get involved, threatening military action.

While the US president confirmed last night (Sunday 12 January) that officials from Iran had called him "to negotiate" and that a meeting could happen.

However, Trump added that "we may have to act before a meeting".

After being asked if Iran had "crossed a red line" with protesters being killed, Trump said: "They're starting to, it looks like."

"We're looking at it very seriously. The military is looking at it, and we're looking at some very strong options. We'll make a determination," he said while on Air Force One.

Trump already issued a warning to Ayatallah Ali Khamenei and his government last week, warning of intervention if protesters were killed.

He said on Friday (9 January): "I tell the Iranian leaders: you better not start shooting, because we’ll start shooting, too."

Demonstrators in Iran have been described as a "bunch of vandals" by its leaders and called for pro-government marches today.

The government also announced three days of mourning for what it called "martyrs" killed in a "national battle against the US and Israel".

The most recent remarks come from Iran's foreign minister Abbas Araghchi who claimed this morning that the protests are now "under total control", as reported by Al Jazeera.

He added: "We are ready for war, but also dialogue".

Meanwhile, the minister blamed Trump and Israel for the unrest in Iran.

He said: "That's why the demonstrations turned violent and bloody to give an excuse to the American president to intervene."