On January 12, Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi declared that his country does not want war, but is ready for the possibility of a public conflict at a higher level than the 12-day war with Israel last year.
Speaking before a meeting with foreign diplomats in Tehran, Mr. Araghchi emphasized that Iran is also leaving open the possibility of negotiation, provided that the dialogues are "fair, honorable, on the basis of equality, mutual respect and for the common good", not "orders or impositions".
Mr. Araghchi's statement was made after US President Donald Trump repeatedly warned of the possibility of using military measures against Iran, related to the campaign to suppress deadly riots that are shaking this Islamic nation. Tehran believes that those riots involve the involvement of the US and Israel.
According to Iran, the protests began at the end of December, stemming from the sharp devaluation of the rial and the cost of living crisis due to prolonged sanctions.
The wave of protests quickly spread to many cities and escalated into the most serious instability in years.
The Tehran government accused elements they call "terrorists" of setting fire to dozens of mosques, medical facilities, administrative buildings and killing hundreds of civilians and security forces with "IS-like" violent acts.
As of January 13, at least nearly 600 people have died in violent protests.
Foreign Minister Araghchi accused the US and Israel of "playing a big role" in inciting instability. He said Iran had collected audio recordings showing instructions sent to gunmen mingling in the crowd, demanding gunfire on protesters, passersby and security forces.
Last weekend, Mr. Trump said that the US administration is considering intervention options in Iran, although acknowledging that Tehran has signaled that it wants to negotiate.
The White House later confirmed that Washington is considering many options, including cyberattacks and direct military strikes by the US or Israel. President Trump declared that if Iran retaliates, the US will respond "at an unprecedented level".
In parallel with military warnings, Mr. Trump announced on January 12 that the US would impose a 25% tariff on countries that continue to do business with Iran, with immediate effect. Economies with trade relations with Iran include Brazil, China, Turkey, the United Arab Emirates (UAE) and Russia.
Meanwhile, in Iran, the government affirmed that the situation is "completely under control". Tens of thousands of government supporters took to the streets in many cities to show support for Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei. Iranian state television broadcast images of marches with slogans protesting the US and Israel.
On the US side, the White House said that Iran's public message does not completely coincide with the private exchanges that Washington has received in recent days.
President Trump said his administration is still leaving open the possibility of holding meetings with Tehran, but warned that it may have to act first if the situation continues to worsen.
