President Trump ruled out the chance of talks with the Iranian regime and encouraged antigovernment protesters in the country to keep up their campaign, his latest intervention in the uprising.
“Iranian Patriots, KEEP PROTESTING – TAKE OVER YOUR INSTITUTIONS!!! Save the names of the killers and abusers. They will pay a big price,” Trump wrote in a post on Truth Social Tuesday. “I have cancelled all meetings with Iranian Officials until the senseless killing of protesters STOPS. HELP IS ON ITS WAY.”
Large-scale demonstrations in Iran began in late December 2025, initially triggered by economic hardship, the collapse of the Iranian rial and soaring inflation.
Since then, hundreds of thousands have filled the streets. The regime has instigated a bloody crackdown that has led to hundreds dead and more than 10,000 arrests, according to Human Rights Activists in Iran.
Trump has repeatedly threatened to intervene, prompting U.S. officials to examine possible strikes on Iranian military sites . No action is imminent, the officials said, but Trump has taken briefings to explore options including military, cyber and economic measures.
Iranian diplomats are making a last-ditch attempt to convince the U.S. not to strike their country and resume nuclear talks instead, say Arab and European officials.
Iranian foreign official Abbas Araghchi has reached out to organize a meeting with U.S. Special Envoy Steve Witkoff in the Swiss resort of Davos in the hope of averting a U.S. strike on Iran and reviving nuclear talks, said the Arab and European officials.
Iranian diplomats had made a last-ditch attempt to convince the U.S. not to strike their country and resume nuclear talks instead, according to Arab and European officials.
Iranian foreign official Abbas Araghchi has reached out to organize a meeting with U.S. Special Envoy Steve Witkoff in the Swiss resort of Davos in the hope of averting a U.S. strike on Iran and reviving nuclear talks, the Arab and European officials said.
The meeting, which hasn’t been finalized and in which Oman is also involved, could take place this weekend before the start of the Swiss resort’s World Economic Forum, the officials said.
Iranian diplomats have said privately Tehran is now open to a direct meeting with the U.S., a reversal from its insistence that talks should be indirect, the Arab official said. But the Islamic Republic is also still insisting on its right to enrich uranium, the Arab diplomat said, a nonstarter for the U.S.
Iranian diplomats are also making the case the regime has the support of most Iranians, pointing to a large turnout at loyalist rallies the government called for Monday, the Arab official said.
The Iranians also said there would be no meeting if the U.S. struck first, the Arab official said, after Trump said he may aim for both a strike and a meeting later.
During a visit to Tehran last week, Omani foreign minister Badr Al Busaidi, who mediated failed nuclear talks last year between Witkoff and Araghchi, encouraged the Iranian foreign minister to resume talks, the Arab official said. The Omani minister also warned the Iranian officials not to retaliate on neighboring countries if attacked, the Arab official said. Iran struck the U.S.’s al-Udeid base in Qatar in June after Washington attacked its nuclear facilities.
Iran’s Araghchi still plans to attend a security conference where senior U.S. and European officials are gathering in Munich, Germany, in mid-February, the Arab officials said. His deputy Saeed Khatibzadeh is traveling to Western Europe next week where he is planning to meet foreign diplomats, one Arab official said.
Write to Gareth Vipers at gareth.vipers@wsj.com and Benoit Faucon at benoit.faucon@wsj.com
