Blitz Bureau
NEW DELHI: US President Donald Trump has said that Iran’s leadership, led by Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei, had called him seeking to negotiate after his threats of military action amid a major spike in the anti-Government protests in the Islamic Republic.
“The leaders of Iran called yesterday,” Trump told reporters aboard Air Force One on January 11, adding that “a meeting is being set up… They want to negotiate.” However, he added that we may have to act before a meeting.”
“They’re starting to, it looks like, and there seem to be some people killed that aren’t supposed to be killed. These are violent if you call ’em leaders. I don’t know if they’re leaders or if they just rule through violence,” said Trump, days after his administration defended the US Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agent who killed a 37-year-old woman in her car.
The US President said the US military is closely monitoring the situation. “We’re looking at it very seriously. The military’s looking at it, and we’re looking at some very strong options. We’ll make a determination,” he said. Pressed on whether Iran had crossed a red line, the US President declined to outline specific military plans. “Am I going to really-are you asking me to say, what will they do? Where will we attack? When and at what angle will we attack from?” he said. Trump said he was receiving hourly updates on the situation inside Iran, and “we’re gonna make a determination. Asked about reports that protesters had been killed, Trump said some deaths were linked to crowd dynamics. “Some of the protesters were killed through the stampeding. I mean, you know, there’s so many of ’em, and some were shot,” he said.