Iranian leader and Trump’s trade threats while activists say death toll among protest rises

LONDON – Iranian Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei on Sunday responded to US President Donald Trump’s threats to take military action in Iran in support of anti-government protests there, shortly before Trump told reporters that Tehran wanted to “negotiate” with the United States.

In a message on his official Persian-language account

Khamenei wrote: “This father who sits there with arrogance and pride, passing judgment on the entire world, should also know that the tyrants and oppressors of the world, such as Pharaoh, Nimrod, Reza Khan, Muhammad Reza, and their likes, are usually overthrown when they are at the height of their pride.”

“This too will be overthrown,” the Ayatollah added.

Khamenei’s post came shortly before Trump spoke to reporters aboard Air Force One, first signaling that he might follow through on his threats to launch new strikes on Iran before revealing that new negotiations with Tehran may soon be underway.

Trump said it “appears” that Iran may have crossed the red line set by the administration by killing demonstrators, adding that the US military has “strong options” at its disposal. “We will make a decision,” he said.

Trump has repeatedly warned Tehran against using force to suppress the protests. “Iran aspires to freedom, perhaps like never before. And the United States stands ready to help!!!” Trump wrote on social media on Saturday.

According to a US official, the president will be briefed on Tuesday on a review of possible US responses to the situation in Iran.

Trump also said on Sunday that Iranian leaders called him on Saturday and that a meeting was being arranged between them. The president warned that the United States may take action before the meeting takes place.

“They did. They called,” Trump said when asked if he thought Iran wanted to reach out diplomatically.

He said: “Iran called for negotiations yesterday, and Iran’s leaders called yesterday. They want to negotiate. I think they are tired of the beating that the United States is taking.”

“We may meet them,” he added. Trump said: “A meeting is being prepared, but we may have to act – because of what is happening – before the meeting, but a meeting is being prepared.”

Protests have spread across the country since late December. The first marches took place in downtown Tehran, where participants demonstrated against rising inflation and the devaluation of the national currency, the rial. As the protests spread to cities across the country, they took on a more clearly anti-government tone.

The death toll in the protests rose to 544 as of Sunday, according to data compiled by the US-based Human Rights Activists News Agency (HRANA).

At least 10,681 people have been arrested, according to HRANA. The protests took place in 585 locations across the country, in 186 cities, in all 31 provinces, according to activists.

HRANA data is based on the work of activists inside and outside the country. ABC News cannot independently verify the numbers provided by the group.

The Iranian government did not provide any figures on casualties among demonstrators in relation to the ongoing protests. State television broadcast images of people attending morgues to identify the bodies of friends and relatives.

The state-aligned Tasnim news agency reported on Sunday that 109 security personnel were killed in the protests.

Widespread and ongoing internet outages have been reported across the country amid growing protests and government crackdowns. Internet monitoring group NetBlocks said early Monday that Iran’s “national internet blackout” exceeded 84 hours.

Khamenei and senior Iranian officials said they were willing to address the protesters’ economic grievances, though they described the unrest as driven by “rioters” and sponsored by foreign countries, primarily the United States and Israel.

Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araqchi on Monday described the wave of protests as a “terrorist war” while speaking with foreign diplomats in Tehran.

Araqchi said the situation was “under control” and internet access would be restored.

The Foreign Minister also claimed that Tehran has collected extensive evidence showing the involvement of the United States and Israel in the protests over recent days. He added, “We believe that what happened after January 8 was infiltration,” suggesting that “Mossad agents” were leading the demonstrations.

Araghchi also criticized Western countries for failing to condemn what he called “terrorists.”

On Monday, state television broadcast footage of pro-government rallies organized in Tehran and other major cities.

The footage showed crowds waving Iranian flags in Revolution Square in the capital, chanting slogans including “Death to America,” “Death to Israel,” and “I will sacrifice my life for the leader.”

State television described the Tehran demonstration as an “Iranian uprising against American-Zionist terrorism.”

At the same time, opposition voices abroad encouraged more demonstrations. On Sunday, exiled Iranian Crown Prince Reza Pahlavi addressed protesters in a letter to X, announcing what he said was “a new phase of the national uprising to overthrow the Islamic Republic and restore our beloved Iran.”

“In addition to seizing and controlling the central streets of our cities, all institutions and agencies responsible for the regime’s propaganda and cutting off communications must be considered legitimate targets,” Pahlavi wrote.

He added, “Employees of state institutions, as well as members of the armed forces and security forces, have a choice: either stand with the people and become allies of the nation, or choose to collude with the killers of the people – and bear the nation’s shame and permanent condemnation.”

“We are not alone. International support will arrive soon,” Pahlavi wrote.

ABC News’ Somaya Malekian, Isabella Murray and Will Gretzky contributed to this report.