January 14, 2026 l By Stephen — Dalena Reporters
PARIS/TEHRAN — U.S. President Donald Trump on Tuesday publicly encouraged Iranians to continue their nationwide protests against the country’s Islamic Republic leadership, telling demonstrators that “help is on its way” as international scrutiny intensifies over the regime’s harsh response to mass civil unrest. The statement underscores mounting tensions between Washington and Tehran and reflects a rare direct intervention by a sitting U.S. president into Iran’s domestic turmoil.
In a series of posts on his social media platform Truth Social, Mr. Trump urged Iranian citizens to “KEEP PROTESTING,” urging them to “take over institutions” and to document the identities of “killers and abusers.” He also announced the cancellation of all meetings with Iranian officials until what he described as the “senseless killing of protesters stops.”
The president’s comments come amid successive nights of demonstrations that have erupted in cities and towns across Iran following weeks of rising public dissatisfaction with political repression and economic hardship. Rights groups report that Iran’s security forces have responded with lethal force, though the Iranian government insists authorities have reasserted control after several days of unrest highlighted as one of the most significant challenges to the clerical leadership since the 1979 revolution.
The Norway-based NGO Iran Human Rights has confirmed at least 734 deaths during the protests including nine minors and warned that the actual toll is likely far higher, given that the figures derive from reports covering fewer than half of Iran’s provinces and a fraction of its hospitals. The organisation has cautioned that total deaths could be in the thousands as communications blackouts and limited independent verification persist.
In response to the unrest, Iranian authorities have accused what they label “terrorist elements” and foreign adversaries of exploiting domestic discontent, dismissing claims of systemic government violence against peaceful demonstrators. State media have focused on orchestrated pro-government rallies and attacks on symbols of the Islamic Republic, including occasional clashes that saw security personnel come under fire or face hostile crowds.
European governments, including France, Germany and the United Kingdom, have expressed deep concern over the trajectory of the protests, summoning Iranian ambassadors to register their objections to the reported use of force against civilians. European Union chief Ursula von der Leyen described the “rising number of casualties in Iran” as “horrifying,” and indicated that further sanctions against responsible officials could follow unless the violence abates.
Legal analysts say Mr. Trump’s intervention is notable not only for its directness but also for its potential implications for U.S. foreign policy toward Iran. Although details of the “help” he referenced remain unspecified, the remarks signal heightened U.S. political pressure on Tehran at a time when Iran faces both internal dissent and international isolation.
As protests continue under tightly controlled Internet access and mounting reports of casualties and arrests, international rights organisations are calling for unfettered verification of events and accountability for alleged abuses by security forces. The coming days could prove critical in determining whether domestic pressure will force policy shifts in Tehran or further harden the government’s posture toward civil dissent.