Washington, DC [US], January 6 (ANI): US and Israeli officials are assessing potential policy options in response to ongoing unrest in Iran, according to multiple indications cited in Israeli media reports by The Jerusalem Post. The discussions come amid sustained protests across Iranian cities and recent US actions in Venezuela that appear to have influenced regional strategic calculations.
Iran has experienced periodic waves of demonstrations driven by economic pressures, political repression, and widespread dissatisfaction with clerical rule. While Iranian authorities have previously succeeded in suppressing similar movements, the persistence of the current protests has renewed international attention, The Jerusalem Post reported.
According to a report by The Times of Israel, the death toll linked to violence surrounding the protests has risen to at least 35 people. The publication cited figures from the US-based Human Rights Activists News Agency, which said more than 1,200 people have been detained during protests that have continued for more than a week.
The report said 29 protesters, four children, and two members of Iran’s security forces have been killed. Demonstrations have spread to more than 250 locations across 27 of Iran’s 31 provinces.
Iran’s Fars News Agency reported that 250 police officers and 45 members of the all-volunteer Basij force have been injured during the demonstrations.
On January 2, US President Donald Trump said the United States is “locked and loaded” to respond if Iranian authorities use violence against peaceful protesters, as demonstrations over worsening economic conditions spread across multiple provinces.
In a post on Truth Social, Trump wrote, “If Iran shoots and violently kills peaceful protesters, which is their custom, the United States of America will come to their rescue. We are locked and loaded and ready to go. Thank you for your attention to this matter!”
Meanwhile, Iran’s former crown prince in exile, Reza Pahlavi, has taken an active role in urging protesters to challenge the leadership of Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei. In a post on X on Monday, Pahlavi condemned what he described as violent actions by the regime, citing shootings, the killing of young people, and an attack on a hospital in Ilam province. He said such actions demonstrated a lack of legitimacy and claimed the regime was nearing its end.
Pahlavi also told The Wall Street Journal, “I’ve stepped in to lead this transition. It’s about self-determination, freedom, and rebuilding our country.”
President Trump’s recent action against Venezuelan leader Nicolas Maduro has further emboldened Iranian protesters, placing the Middle East in an increasingly tense situation, the report added.
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