US President Donald Trump said Sunday that Iran proposed negotiations after his threat to strike the Islamic Republic over its bloody crackdown targeting demonstrators there, a move coming as activists said the death toll in protests rose to at least 544.

Speaking to reporters aboard Air Force One, Trump was asked whether the regime has crossed his red line, given that he has pledged to target the Islamic Republic if it kills protesters.

“They’re starting to [cross it]. It looks like [it]. There seem to be some people killed that aren’t supposed to be killed… They rule through violence,” he responded.

“We’re looking at it very seriously. The military is looking at it, and we’re looking at some very strong options. We’ll make a determination,” he said, adding that he is receiving hourly updates on developments at the protests.

Trump said he will soon speak to Elon Musk about potentially getting his Starlink satellite internet service fully operational in Iran to assist the protesters who have been dealing with a government-ordered blackout since late last week.

Some protesters have managed to gain access to the internet via Starlink terminals smuggled into the country, but the service is not officially operational in Iran.

While Iran has said it would target Israel and US military and commercial bases if Washington attacks, Trump said, “If they do that, we will hit them at levels that they’ve never been hit before… I have options that are so strong.”

In his talk with reporters, Trump also claimed that Iran reached out to the US and proposed holding another round of nuclear talks.

“I think they’re tired of being beat up by the United States,” Trump said. “Iran wants to negotiate.” He added: “The meeting is being set up, but we may have to act because of what’s happening before the meeting.”

There was no immediate acknowledgement from Iran of the offer for a meeting.

But Iranian 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 evidence.

“That’s why the demonstrations turned violent and bloody to give an excuse to the American president to intervene,” Araghchi said, in comments carried by the Qatar-funded Al Jazeera satellite news network. Al Jazeera has been allowed to report from inside the country live despite the internet being shut off.

Meanwhile Monday, Iran called for pro-government demonstrators to head to the streets in support of the theocracy. Iranian state television aired chants from the crowd, who shouted “Death to America!” and “Death to Israel!”

At least 544 people have been killed and more than 10,600 people have been detained over the two weeks of protests, according to the US-based Human Rights Activists News........

© The Times of Israel