President Donald Trump said Iran’s leaders are looking to strike a deal with the United States as the threat of consequences grows.
Earlier this month, Iran moved to crush weeks of anti-government demonstrations, forcibly dispersing protesters across the country. Unofficial estimates from Iranian officials suggest as many as 30,000 people may have been killed in the crackdown, according to Time.
Iran’s government has acknowledged killing 3,117 people. A human rights group, meanwhile, reported a higher toll of 5,459 deaths and said 17,031 cases remain under investigation.
Before the crackdown escalated, Trump warned Tehran against what he described as a potential mass slaughter of demonstrators. He has also claimed his involvement helped prevent executions among the thousands who were arrested.
After the protests were put down, Trump weighed military action but did not order a strike at the time. Still, U.S. forces shifted into position: the USS Abraham Lincoln Carrier Strike Group is now operating in the Middle East, expanding the range of military options available to the administration.
“We have a big armada next to Iran. Bigger than Venezuela,” Trump said, according to Axios.
With U.S. firepower nearby, Trump said, Iran is changing course.
“They want to make a deal. I know so. They called on numerous occasions. They want to talk.”
A “senior U.S. official,” as Axios described the source, said the administration is open to discussions—if Iran agrees to longstanding terms.
“If they want to contact us and they know what the terms are, then we’re going to have the conversation,” the official said.
According to the official, those terms have been communicated repeatedly over the past year. They include removing enriched uranium from Iran, limiting Iran’s long-range missile stockpile, ending support for regional militias, and prohibiting uranium enrichment inside Iran.
Intelligence assessments indicate Iran’s leadership is facing its most fragile moment since the 1979 revolution that toppled the shah, according to The New York Times. The report cited broad public frustration—driven in part by economic hardship—as a major factor eroding support for the government.
White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt said Trump is receiving regular global intelligence briefings and is closely tracking developments in Iran.
“It would be a dereliction of duty as commander in chief if he were not regularly briefed on these matters,” Leavitt said. “With respect to Iran, President Trump continues to closely monitor the situation.”
Sen. Lindsey Graham, a Republican from South Carolina, said he believes Trump will follow through on his earlier pledge to support protesters.
“The goal is to end the regime,” Graham said. “They may stop killing them today, but if they’re in charge next month, they’ll kill them then.”
The New York Times also reported that the U.S. military has reinforced its posture beyond the carrier strike group, which includes ships capable of launching Tomahawk cruise missiles. The report said additional F-15E aircraft have been deployed to strengthen offensive capability.
The United States has also boosted missile defense resources in the region and expanded coordination with allies.
