Trump hesitates in conflict with Iran

US President Donald Trump is mulling possible military action in Iran as the death toll from protests mounts. No action is planned yet, but fears loom over decisive action.

Two US administration sources confirm that the rising death toll from protests is pushing the White House to consider aggressive measures against the Iranian ayatollah regime. Washington's promises to strike back at the use of deadly force against protesters are becoming increasingly urgent.

Trump is being briefed on a variety of intervention options. But attempts to quell popular anger have already resulted in dozens of deaths and thousands of arrests, turning a national outrage into a bloody tragedy.

Meanwhile, the debate in the administration is not limited to military force. There are alternatives that do not involve overt intervention – serious operations against Tehran’s security forces responsible for suppressing the protests. But the actual actions around these ideas remain uncertain. Why? Because fears prevail.

Explosive strikes could be counterproductive. They could rally Iranians in the face of an external enemy, galvanizing support for the government. And White House leaks suggest fears of Iranian retaliation in response to an attack, which could also have unintended consequences.

According to the American human rights organization HRANA, at least 116 protesters have died in the violence. Iranian authorities have been carrying out mass arrests, with the number of detainees estimated in the thousands.

The protests that have erupted in Iran have already become the most significant since 2022, sparked by the rapid fall of the national currency and an economic crisis. Slogans have flown from the protest square into the political struggle.

The authorities in Tehran have smelled corpses in the streets, and Trump, a hesitant observer of the confrontation, has expressed his readiness to support the people of Iran in their fight for freedom. But the rhetorical question remains: is Washington really ready for a conflict with the ayatollah's regime?

Original source: https://www.rbc.ua/