Trump weighs options for Iran, sanctions country’s top leaders
The Trump administration announced new sanctions Thursday targeting five top Iranian officials it blames for what it calls a brutal crackdown on peaceful demonstrators. The move comes as U.S. officials say all options are still on the table as the administration weighs its next move on Iran’s deadly crackdown on nationwide protests.
Emergency United Nations meeting
At an emergency United Nations Security Council meeting Thursday, U.S. Ambassador Mike Waltz said the Trump administration is still trying to de-escalate the situation in Iran, but made clear the window is closing.
“Iran says it’s ready for dialogue, but its actions say otherwise,” Waltz said.
He added, “President Trump is a man of action, not endless talk like we see at the United Nations. He has made it clear all options are on the table to stop the slaughter.”
The U.S. says protests in Iran are continuing, but at a smaller scale than last week. However, verifying conditions on the ground remains difficult, as a state-ordered internet and communications blackout stays in place.
U.S. sanctions Iranian officials
The Trump administration said Thursday it is sanctioning five top Iranian officials.
Among those targeted is Ali Larijani, the secretary of Iran’s Supreme Council for National Security. The U.S. Treasury Department says Larijani was “one of the first Iranian leaders to call for violence in response to the legitimate demands of the Iranian people.”
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In a video accompanying the announcement posted to social media, Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent said, “Our message to the Iranian people is clear: Your demands are legitimate. You are protesting for a noble cause, and the United States supports you and your efforts to peacefully oppose the regime’s mismanagement and brutality.”
Human rights groups say more than 2,600 people have been killed in the crackdown, and nearly 18,500 have been arrested.
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Ella Rae Greene, Editor In Chief
