Iranian officials said on January 12 that the country is prepared for war but remains open to dialogue with the United States, as President Donald Trump continues to warn of possible US intervention amid a violent crackdown on anti-government protests.
Speaking to foreign ambassadors in Tehran, Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araqchi said Iran is “not looking for war,” but is ready for it if necessary, according to multiple media reports. His remarks came a day after Trump said he was weighing military options against Iran.
Anti-government protests have entered their third week after soaring prices and the collapse of the Iranian rial triggered mass demonstrations in late December. Human rights groups say the unrest has spread across major cities and dozens of towns nationwide, marking the most significant challenge to Iran’s clerical leadership since 2022.
Norway-based group Iran Human Rights said it has confirmed at least 192 protester deaths since the demonstrations began. The US-based Human Rights Activist News Agency reported more than 500 deaths across hundreds of locations and said over 10,600 people have been arrested and transferred to prisons. Iranian authorities have not released official casualty figures.
A government-imposed internet blackout that began on January 8 has severely limited communication with people inside the country, complicating efforts to independently verify information.
Protests in support of demonstrators inside Iran have also emerged in several international cities, including London and Los Angeles. In Los Angeles, a driver plowed a U-Haul truck into a large crowd during a rally on January 11.
Araqchi claimed the protests were “under total control” and accused what he described as terrorists of exploiting Trump’s warnings to provoke violence in hopes of drawing foreign intervention. Iranian leaders have repeatedly accused the United States and Israel of fueling the unrest.
Trump has warned Iran’s leadership against killing protesters and said on January 11 that the US military was reviewing “very strong options.” He added that Iranian officials had reached out to negotiate and that a meeting had been scheduled, though he suggested the US could still act before talks take place. Trump said the discussions would include Iran’s disputed nuclear program.
Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesperson Esmaeil Baghaei said contacts between the two countries remain open through Switzerland, which has traditionally served as an intermediary. He said Iran “never left the negotiating table” but accused the US of sending contradictory messages.
Addressing a large crowd in Tehran’s Enqelab Square, Parliament Speaker Mohammad Baqer Qalibaf said Iran is fighting on multiple fronts, including economic, psychological, military, and what he described as a war against terrorism.
Araqchi also claimed that since the protests began, 53 mosques and 180 ambulances have been set on fire, adding that “no Iranian would attack a mosque.”