Iran Protests LIVE: JD Vance, aides urge Trump to try diplomacy before Iran strikes — Report

Iran Human Rights (IHR) confirmed at least 648 people killed during the protests, including 9 minors.

Thousands more have been injured in the crackdown, according to IHR.

Norway-based NGO IHR warned the actual death toll could be much higher. IHR said the internet shutdown has severely hindered efforts to independently verify the reports.

"The international community has a duty to protect civilian protesters against mass killing by the Islamic republic," said IHR director Mahmood Amiry-Moghaddam.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky called on the international community to seize the moment and support Iranians protesting against their government, saying the unrest could lead to meaningful change and help free the country from a regime that has caused harm at home and abroad.

Zelensky described the demonstrations sweeping Iran as an “uprising” and said global leaders should not stand aside.

"Every normal person on Earth very much wants the people of Iran to finally be fortunate enough to free themselves from the regime that exists there and that has brought so much evil, including to Ukraine and to other countries," Zelensky said.

"It is important that the world not miss this moment, when change is possible. Every leader, every country, international organisations must engage now and help people remove those who are responsible for Iran unfortunately being what it has been."

Some top officials in President Donald Trump’s administration are urging the president to pursue diplomacy before authorising military strikes against Iran.

The group advocating talks is led by Vice President JD Vance, according to the Wall Street Journal, citing US officials.

The White House is weighing an offer from Iran to engage in discussions, particularly on its nuclear programme.

The push for diplomacy comes as Trump is seen considering authorising military action against Iran.

US President Donald Trump is weighing the option of air strikes on Iran to stop the crackdown on protesters.

“One thing President Trump is very good at is always keeping all of his options on the table. And air strikes would be one of the many, many options that are on the table for the commander in chief,” said White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt.

“Diplomacy is always the first option for the president,” Leavitt added.

The messages received privately from Iran differ from the public stance of the Iranian regime.

“What you're hearing publicly from the Iranian regime is quite different from the messages the administration is receiving privately, and I think the president has an interest in exploring those messages,” Leavitt said.

Belgian Foreign Minister Maxime Prevot summoned Iranian ambassador in Brussels. The move was to urge Tehran to listen to the peaceful demands of protesting Iranians.

Prevot described the situation in Iran as “more than worrying”. Belgium expressed concern over the use of force and urged Iranian authorities to refrain from disproportionate actions.

The European Parliament has banned all Iranian diplomats and representatives from its premises.

The decision follows the deadly crackdown on protests in Iran.

Roberta Metsola, European Parliament President, announced the ban on X (formerly Twitter). Metsola stated: “It cannot be business as usual” and emphasized support for the brave people of Iran standing up for their rights.

She added that the European Parliament will not legitimize a regime built on torture, repression, and murder.

The ban includes all diplomatic staff and representatives of the Islamic Republic of Iran.

Russia’s Security Council Secretary Sergei Shoigu held a phone call with Iran’s Supreme National Security Council chief, Interfax reported, as per Reuters.

Shoigu condemned what he described as attempts by foreign powers to interfere in Iran’s internal affairs.

The two sides discussed the regional security situation amid rising tensions.

Russia and Iran agreed to maintain close contacts going forward. Both countries pledged to coordinate their positions to strengthen security cooperation.

Iran called in diplomats from France, Germany, Italy, and the UK. Tehran objected to what it described as foreign support for nationwide protests.

Diplomats were shown a video depicting damage caused by protesters. Iranian officials urged the diplomats’ governments to withdraw statements supporting the protesters.

Nationwide unrest in Iran has claimed at least 572 lives over two weeks, according to the US-based Human Rights Activists News Agency (HRANA).

Of the dead, 503 were protesters and 69 were members of security forces.

More than 10,600 people have been detained amid the ongoing demonstrations. (AP)

A senior Turkish official warned that outside involvement could worsen the country’s crisis. Omer Celik, spokesman for Erdogan’s ruling party, recognized that Iran is facing internal issues.

Celik stressed that Iran’s problems should be solved through “its own dynamics and the will of the state.” Outside interference is likely to produce “worse outcomes,” according to Celik.

Celik warned that external action driven by Israeli provocations could further escalate regional instability.

Turkey is emphasizing diplomacy and internal solutions over military or external interventions.

Iran is facing a major crisis as widespread protests, sparked by economic collapse, have escalated into a nationwide political uprising. The government’s deadly crackdown, coupled with a near-total internet blackout, has intensified tensions across the country. Threats of US military action have raised stakes internationally, while domestic anger continues to grow.

Here are 10 key takeaways explaining the causes of Iran’s unrest.

China said it opposes the use of force in international relations and expressed hope that Iran will be able to overcome its current unrest and maintain national stability.

Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Mao Ning esponding to questions on the situation in Iran, said Beijing believes the Iranian government and people are “able to overcome the current difficulties and maintain national stability.”

Mao reiterated China’s long-standing position against external involvement in domestic matters, stressing respect for sovereignty and international law.

“China always opposes interference in other countries’ internal affairs, maintains that the sovereignty and security of all countries should be fully protected under international law, and opposes the use or threat of use of force in international relations,” she said.

The European Union said it is considering imposing additional sanctions on Iran in response to what it described as a violent crackdown on protesters across the country.

"We stand ready to propose new, more severe sanctions following the violent crackdown on protesters," EU spokesman Anouar El Anouni said.

Iran draws tens of thousands of pro-government demonstrators to the streets in show of power after nationwide protests, reported AP

While the clerical establishment that rules the Islamic Republic is facing the biggest nationwide protests since 2022, Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi said his country is ready for negotiations, based on ‘mutual respect.’ Read here

Iran's foreign ministry said that communication channels are ‘open’ with US envoy. FM Abbas Araghchi also said that Iran is "ready for negotiations but these negotiations should be fair, with equal rights and based on mutual respect.”

The demonstrations began Dec. 28 over the collapse of the Iranian rial currency, which trades at over 1.4 million to $1, as the country’s economy is squeezed by international sanctions in part levied over its nuclear program, as reported by AP.

The protests intensified and grew into calls directly challenging Iran’s theocracy. (AP)

Reza Pahlavi, the US-based son of Iran's ousted shah, who has emerged as an anti-government figurehead, said he was prepared to return to the country and lead a democratic transition.

"I'm already planning on that," he told Fox News on Sunday. (AFP)

US President Donald Trump said Sunday that Iran's leadership had called him seeking "to negotiate" after he repeatedly threatened to intervene militarily if Tehran killed protesters, AFP reported.

For two weeks, Iran has been rocked by a protest movement that has swelled in spite of a crackdown rights groups warn has become a "massacre". (AFP)

Iran's ambassador to India Mohammad Fathali has cautioned against fake news being peddled about the alleged arrest of six Indian and ten Afghani nationals in Iran.

Urging people to be cautious when searching for and consuming information online, in a post on X, he wrote, "The news circulated on some foreign X accounts about Iran's developments, is totally false. I request all interested people to get their news from the reliable sources."

The demonstrations began Dec. 28 over the collapse of the Iranian rial currency, which trades at over 1.4 million to $1, as the country’s economy is squeezed by international sanctions in part levied over its nuclear program, as reported by AP.

The protests intensified and grew into calls directly challenging Iran’s theocracy. (AP)

Online videos sent out of Iran, likely using Starlink satellite transmitters, purportedly showed demonstrators gathering in northern Tehran's Punak neighborhood. There, it appeared authorities shut off streets, with protesters waving their lit mobile phones. Others banged metal while fireworks went off, AP reported.

US President Donald Trump said Sunday that Iran's leadership had called seeking "to negotiate" after his threats of military action amid mass anti-government protests in the Islamic republic, AFP reported.

"The leaders of Iran called" yesterday, Trump told reporters aboard Air Force One, adding that “a meeting is being set up... They want to negotiate.” (AFP)

Trump says US military studying 'very strong options' for Iran, AFP reported.

A truck plowed into a crowd gathered in Los Angeles to show support for Iranian protesters, the KNBC news outlet reported on Sunday. (Reuters)

Iran Protests LIVE: ‘Military is looking at it, we are looking at strong options on Iran,’ said Donald Trump, as reported by Reuters.

Exiled son of Iran’s former shah Reza Pahlavi says ‘freedom of Iran is near’

U.S. President Donald Trump is expected to meet senior advisers on Tuesday to discuss options for Iran, a U.S. official told Reuters on Sunday.

The footage, confirmed to be from the Kahrizak morgue near the Iranian capital, showed bodies wrapped in black bags lying on the ground, while what appeared to be grieving relatives searched for missing loved ones, AFP reported.

Iranian authorities have committed a "mass killing" in cracking down on the biggest protests against the Islamic republic in years, a rights group said Sunday, as the government ordered counter-rallies in a bid to regain the initiative, AFP reported.

"Unverified reports indicate that at least several hundreds, and according to some sources, more than 2,000 people may have been killed," said IHR. It denounced a "mass killing" and a "major international crime against the people of Iran". (AFP)

The Iranian government on Sunday declared three days of national mourning for "martyrs" including members of the security forces killed, state television said.

The government described the fight against what it has termed "riots" as an "Iranian national resistance battle against America and the Zionist regime", using the clerical leadership's term for Israel, which the Islamic republic does not recognise. (AFP)

Rallies were organised in Western cities like London, Paris, and Turkey's Istanbul after reports of the Ayatollah regime killing protestors across the country surfaced.

Ambassador Mohammad Fathali shared the screenshot of an X post which claims the country's police have arrested a ‘cell comprising’ 10 Afghan and 6 Indian nationals."

In his X post, Fathali said, “The news circulated on some foreign X accounts about Iran’s developments, is totally false. I request all interested people to get their news from the reliable sources.”

According to its latest figures - from activists inside and outside Iran - U.S.-based rights group HRANA said it had verified the deaths of 490 protesters and 48 security personnel, with more than 10,600 people arrested in two weeks of unrest. Iran has not yet given any official toll of the number of people who have died.

Over 10,670 people have been detained in crackdown on nationwide protests in Iran, activists said, as per AP.

Pahlavi told Fox News that he is prepared to return to Iran and lead a transition to a democratic government. “My job is to lead this transition to make sure that no stone is left unturned, that in full transparency, people have an opportunity to elect their leaders freely and to decide their own future,” he said

Iran's exiled crown prince Reza Pahlavi emerged as a key figure as the country, run by Supreme Leader Ayatollah Khamenei, continues to witness nationwide protests over the Islamic Republic's faltering economy and the collapse of its currency. Read here

Earlier in the day, Reza Pahlavi renewed his call for protests in the Iran, urging people to “not abandon” the streets. “In particular President Trump, as the leader of the free world, has closely observed your indescribable bravery and has declared that he is ready to help you. Do not abandon the streets. My heart is with you. I know that I will soon be by your side,” Pahlavi said in a video message for Iranians, posted on his X handle.

At least 420 protesters, including eight children, have been killed over the past 15 days of demonstrations, reported CNN, citing Skylar Thompson, deputy director of Human Rights Activists in Iran (HRA).

"I'm prepared to return to Iran at the first possible opportunity. I'm already planning on that," Reza Pahlavi said on Fox News show "Sunday Morning Futures" with Maria Bartiromo.

Pope Leo has said today that he prays for “dialogue and peace” in Iran, addressing crowds in the Vatican following his Angelus prayer.

Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian on Sunday said "rioters" should not be allowed to disrupt society, in his first remarks amid the unrest, reported AFP.

According to the US-based HRANA Rights Group, the death toll linked to protests in Iran has touched 203, Reuters reported.

Iran has heightened controls on internet and phone services overnight as part of a stepped-up effort to suppress protests, after thousands of people were reported to have poured into the streets nationwide, including in the capital, Tehran, according to multiple reports.

Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian has urged citizens to stay away from protests sweeping the country, warning them not to join what he described as ‘rioters and terrorists,’ and appealing to parents to prevent their children from taking part.

Reports on Sunday indicated that the US was drawing up plans for potential military action after President Donald Trump's threats of an intervention, with a former US army colonel and military analyst claiming that there are signs of a massive military build-up in the Middle-East.

Iranian authorities could be jamming Starlink terminals to further isolate the country amid an ongoing communications blackout, according to an expert who studies internet disruptions, reported CNN

Khamenei's remarks came after Trump said the United States was "ready to help" Iranian protesters, as demonstrations across the country entered their second week.

Trump made the remarks in a post on Truth Social. Trump said, "Iran is looking at FREEDOM, perhaps like never before. The USA stands ready to help!!!"

Iran's Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei took a sharp jibe at US President Donald Trump for backing anti-government protests in Iran, telling him to "manage his own country" instead of commenting on Iran's internal affairs.