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 move followed complaints by Opposition parties, which alleged that the timing of the proposed disbursal amounted to an inducement to women voters ahead of elections to 29 municipal corporations scheduled on January 15