President Donald Trump has urged protesters in Iran to "keep going, take over" institutions, stating that "help is on its way" and warning Tehran that it will face severe consequences for its violent crackdown on demonstrations. His statements were made on Truth Social and later reiterated at an economic event in Detroit. Trump also stated he has canceled all meetings with Iranian officials until the killings stop, and mentioned tariffs on businesses operating in Iran had just gone into effect.
These comments come amid surging death tolls in Iran's protests, with a US-based rights group verifying the deaths of 2,003 people, including protesters, government-affiliated individuals, and civilians. Human rights groups also claim the Iranian regime is preparing to execute the first protester involved in the demonstrations.
In parallel, US special envoy Steve Witkoff reportedly met with Reza Pahlavi, the exiled son of Iran's last shah and a prominent opposition figure, to discuss the ongoing protests.
Meanwhile, Russia has broken with Trump, condemning what it called "subversive external interference" in Iran's internal politics and issuing a warning about the disastrous consequences of such actions. This stance by Russia could potentially damage relations with Washington during crucial US-mediated peace talks concerning the war in Ukraine.
European nations, including Italy, Britain, France, and Germany, have also summoned their respective ambassadors to Iran to address the "absolutely unacceptable" crackdown by Iranian authorities. Additionally, Iran has been experiencing a nationwide internet blackout for over 120 hours, leaving the public largely cut off from the outside world. When asked directly about his "help is on its way" comment, Trump cryptically told reporters they would have to "figure that one out."