The White House said Monday that U.S. President Donald Trump is open to exploring diplomatic engagement with Iran.
Spokesperson Karoline Leavitt said Trump is "unafraid" to follow through on his threats to use military force on Iranian targets if demonstrators are attacked by security forces, but said his preference is to pursue diplomacy with Tehran.
"One thing President Trump is very good at is always keeping all of his options on the table. And airstrikes would be one of the many, many options that are on the table for the commander-in-chief, diplomacy is always the first option for the president," she told reporters at the White House.
"What you're hearing publicly from the Iranian regime is quite differently from the messages the administration is receiving privately. I think the President has an interest in exploring those messages. However, with that said, the president has shown he's unafraid to use military options if and when he deems necessary, and nobody knows that better than Iran," added Leavitt.
Earlier in the day, protests were held in several areas across Iran to show support for the government as anti-government demonstrations entered their 16th day over worsening economic conditions in the country.
In Tehran, crowds gathered at Enghelab Square, a busy central thoroughfare near the University of Tehran, waving the Iranian flag and "condemning recent violence” in public places, according to an Anadolu Agency (AA) reporter.
Protesters called on the government to address economic grievances while rejecting what they described as "foreign interference” in Iran’s domestic affairs. Rallies were also reported in other cities, including Kerman, Zahedan, and Birjand in eastern Iran.
Iranian officials have accused the U.S. and Israel of backing what they describe as "armed rioters,” who have carried out several attacks in public places nationwide.
The Iranian Intelligence Ministry said Monday that 273 weapons were seized and three people arrested during the transit of an international cargo truck through the country, according to the Iranian Fars news agency.
The ministry said a five-member "terrorist cell” linked to a banned Kurdish party was arrested in the city of Khorramabad.
Iranian authorities also detained 15 people over alleged links to Persian-language opposition channels operating outside Iran.
