Threatens Sanctions Against Tehran’s Trading Partners; The death toll rises as the crackdown draws global alarm
U.S. President Donald Trump speaks during a meeting with oil industry leaders at the White House in Washington, DC, U.S., January 9, 2026. PHOTO:REUTERS
WASHINGTON/TEHRAN:
U.S. President Donald Trump sharply escalated pressure on Iran, urging protesters late Monday to continue demonstrating and saying “help is on the way” and threatening sweeping trade sanctions against countries that do business with Tehran and keeping military action on the table.
The US president, who said Iranian officials had approached talks, canceled the meetings as a US-based rights group said at least 1,850 protesters have been killed in more than two weeks of demonstrations. in Iran, an official put the death toll at around 2,000 people.
In posts on his Truth Social platform, Trump addressed what he called “Iranian patriots” and told them to “keep PROTESTING – TAKE OVER YOUR INSTITUTIONS,” while saying “help is on the way,” without clarifying whether that aid would involve direct U.S. intervention.
Trump said he had canceled all meetings with Iranian officials until what he described as the “sense killing” of protesters stopped, adding that Tehran had crossed its red line and that Washington might have to act before any talks could take place.
He announced a 25% tariff on any country that trades with Iran and warned that the measure would apply to “any business” with the United States, calling the order “final and decisive,” a move aimed at key Iranian partners including China, Turkey, Iraq and others.
White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt said airstrikes were among many options for Trump, stressing that diplomacy remained the first choice, although Tehran maintained private contacts with US special envoy Steve Witkoff despite the absence of formal relations.
Iran’s Supreme Leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, accused foreign powers of supporting the unrest. Foreign Minister Abbas Araqchi confirmed that communication channels with the United States remained open and said Tehran was studying Washington’s proposal.
Meanwhile, protests raged across the country. An Iranian official told Reuters that around 2,000 people, including civilians and security personnel, had been killed during the unrest, which authorities blamed on “terrorists”.
However, rights groups reported hundreds of protesters have died since demonstrations broke out in late December. Norway-based Iran Human Rights said at least 648 people, including nine minors, had been killed. Some estimates exceed 6,000 deaths and around 10,000 arrests.
Iranian authorities tried to project control by holding pro-government rallies nationwide, with Parliament Speaker Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf saying Iran faced economic, psychological and military pressure as activists reported an almost total internet shutdown.
International pressure also intensified as EU foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas said further sanctions were under discussion, while Britain, the Netherlands, Italy, Belgium, Finland and Spain summoned Iranian ambassadors over what they called excessive and brutal repression.
German Chancellor Friedrich Merz said Iran’s leadership appeared to be living its “last days and weeks” if it relied solely on violence, as France confirmed non-essential embassy staff had left, and UN rights chief Volker Turk said he was “appalled” by the bloodshed.
China condemned what it called illegal unilateral sanctions, warned that tariff wars had no winners and vowed to protect its interests, while Russia warned against external interference and Qatar warned that any military escalation between the US and Iran would have catastrophic regional consequences.
Despite Tehran’s insistence that order is being restored, the combination of rising death tolls, economic pressures, diplomatic isolation and Trump’s increasingly confrontational stance has left Iran facing one of its most serious political crises in decades.
