US President Donald Trump said Iran wants to negotiate with Washington as activists reported at least 544 deaths in nationwide protests and tensions escalated. Iran 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 weekend

The protests began on December 28 as demonstrations against soaring inflation and economic hardship, but soon escalated into tense nationwide unrest, marked by violent clashes between protesters and security forces