Trump claims Iran seeks negotiations amid deadly crackdown on protests

US President Donald Trump said Iran wants to negotiate with Washington after his threat to strike the Islamic Republic over its bloody crackdown on protesters a move coming as activists said Monday the death toll in the nationwide demonstrations rose to at least 544Iran had no immediate reaction to the news which came after the foreign minister of Oman long an interlocutor between Washington and Tehran travelled toIran this weekendIt also remains unclear just what Iran could promise particularly as Trump has set strict demands over its nuclear program and its ballistic missile arsenal which Tehran insists is crucial for its national defenceIranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi speaking to foreign diplomats in Tehran insisted the situation has come under total control in fiery remarks that blamed Israel and the US for the violence without offering evidenceThats why the demonstrations turned violent and bloody to give an excuse to the American president to intervene Araghchi said in comments carried by the Qatarfunded Al Jazeera satellite news network Al Jazeera has been allowed to report from inside the country live despite the internet being shut offMeanwhile on Monday Iran called for progovernment demonstrators to head to the streets in support of the theocracy a show of force after days of protests directly challenging the rule of 86yearold Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei Iranian state television aired chants from the crowd who shouted Death to America and Death to IsraelTrump acknowledges proposal for talksTrump and his national security team have been weighing a range of potential responses against Iran including cyberattacks and direct strikes by the US or Israel according to two people familiar with internal White House discussions who were not authorised to comment publicly and spoke on condition of anonymityThe military is looking at it and were looking at some very strong options Trump told reporters on Air Force One on Sunday night Asked about Irans threats of retaliation he said If they do that we will hit them at levels that theyve never been hit beforeTrump said that his administration was in talks to set up a meeting with Tehran but cautioned that he may have to act first as reports of the death toll in Iran mount and the government continues to arrest protestersI think theyre tired of being beaten up by the United States Trump said Iran wants to negotiateHe added iquestThe meeting is being set up but we may have to act because of whats happening before the meeting But a meeting is being set up Iran called they want to negotiateiquestIrans parliamentary speaker warned Sunday that the US military and Israel would be legitimate targets if America uses force to protect demonstratorsMore than 10600 people have been detained over the two weeks of protests said the USbased Human Rights Activists News Agency which has been accurate in previous unrest in recent years and gave the death toll It relies on supporters in Iran crosschecking information It said 496 of the dead were protesters and 48 were with security forcesWith the internet down in Iran and phone lines cut off gauging the demonstrations from abroad has grown more difficult The Associated Press has been unable to independently assess the toll Irans government has not offered overall casualty figuresThose abroad fear the information blackout is emboldening hardliners within Irans security services to launch a bloody crackdown Protesters flooded the streets in the countrys capital and its secondlargest city on Saturday night into Sunday morning Online videos purported to show more demonstrations Sunday night into Monday with a Tehran official acknowledging them in state mediaFear pervades Irans capitalIn Tehran a witness told the AP that the streets of the capital empty at the sunset call to prayers each nightBy the Isha or nighttime prayer the streets are desertedPart of that stems from the fear of getting caught in the crackdownPolice sent the public a text message that warned Given the presence of terrorist groups and armed individuals in some gatherings last night and their plans to cause death and the firm decision to not tolerate any appeasement and to deal decisively with the rioters families are strongly advised to take care of their youth and teenagersAnother text which claimed to come from the intelligence arm of the paramilitary Revolutionary Guard also directly warned people not to take part in demonstrationsDear parents in view of the enemys plan to increase the level of naked violence and the decision to kill people refrain from being on the streets and gathering in places involved in violence and inform your children about the consequences of cooperating with terrorist mercenaries which is an example of treason against the country the text warnedThe witness spoke to the AP on condition of anonymity due to the ongoing crackdownThe demonstrations began Dec 28 over the collapse of the Iranian rial currency which trades at over 14 million to USD 1 as the countrys economy is squeezed by international sanctions in part levied over its nuclear programmeThe protests intensified and grew into calls directly challenging Irans theocracyThis story has been sourced from a third party syndicated feed agencies Midday accepts no responsibility or liability for its dependability trustworthiness reliability and data of the text Midday managementmiddaycom reserves the sole right to alter delete or remove without notice the content in its absolute discretion for any reason whatsoever