Iran signals nuclear talks with Trump amid violent protest crackdown

On Sunday and Monday morning, Iran issued new warnings that any military strike on its soil would ignite a regional conflict, even as senior Iranian officials indicated their willingness to negotiate. Reuters reported on Monday that Tehran is considering the possibility of resuming nuclear talks with the United States, with Türkiye emerging as a possible venue and regional mediators, including… Kingdom of Saudi Arabia Qatar is playing an active role, after President Donald Trump said he hopes to reach an agreement to avoid military action against Iran.

US envoy Steve Witkoff is expected to arrive in Israel on Tuesday for meetings with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and IDF Chief of Staff Lt. Gen. Eyal Zamir, according to Axios.

A senior diplomat warns that Iran will respond “with everything we have” if the US launches attacks

The government tax building that burned during Iranian protests in Tehran, January 19, 2026. (Majid Asgharipour/West Asia News Agency via Reuters)

The talks are expected to focus on Iran, following Zamir’s visit to Washington at the weekend, where he held a series of meetings with US defense officials on the Islamic Republic.

Benny Sabti, an Iran expert at the Israel Institute for National Security Studies, told Fox News Digital that this pattern is consistent with Tehran’s long-term strategy.

“This is very typical behavior for Iranian regimeAl-Sabti said that Iran had deliberately escalated threats a few days ago, warning that if it was attacked, no country in the Middle East would be safe. “They are treating the region as if it were a hostage,” he added, adding that the tactic appeared to have worked.

Al-Sabti pointed to the list of brokers participating now. He added: “Saudi Arabia, Turkey and Qatar all went to the United States to press for talks.” “They are trying to avoid being drawn into the Iranian threat.”

Trump says Iran already has US conditions as clock ticks for military strike

Iranians take part in an anti-government protest in Tehran on January 9, 2026. (User generated content via AP)

According to Sebti, Tehran is also sending mixed messages by design. “There are two voices coming out of Iran,” he said. “On the one hand, the generals, the IRGC and the army, the threats are escalating. On the other hand, the Secretary of State and the President are talking about negotiations.”

On Monday morning, Al Arabiya reported that Iranian news agencies Tasnim and Fars deleted a report indicating approval for negotiations with the United States.

Adventist even said so Iranian National Security Council Reflects these dual messages. He pointed out that one of the official’s deputies recently indicated that Iran would not continue developing its enriched uranium, while military officials escalated their tone at the same time. “It aims to confuse the enemy and keep the entire Middle East under pressure,” he said.

While Iran’s external position oscillates between threats and diplomacy, reports from inside the country indicate an escalation Intensifying repression against demonstrators.

Independent casualty estimates vary widely. the Human Rights Activists News Agency Hrana reported that based on its latest compiled data, 6,842 people were confirmed dead by the end of the thirty-sixth day of protests. According to HRANA, 6,425 of those killed were registered as protesters, while 146 were children under the age of 18. An additional 11,280 cases are still under review. Harana and other opposition-linked groups have warned that the final toll could be much higher, with some estimates as high as 30,000 deaths.

Fox News Digital has received eyewitness accounts from individuals identified as part of the MEK’s resistance units network inside Iran.

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Opposition-linked groups have warned that the final death toll could reach 30,000 people. (Mahsa/Middle East Pictures/AFP via Getty Images)

An eyewitness from Islamshahr, a district south of Tehran, said a group of 27 protesters were shot, killing 10. A cousin was killed, another cousin, Malika, 20, was mutilated, and the bodies were buried in a nearby park, the source said.

In Lahijan, northern Gilan province, an eyewitness said 30 protesters were shot outside the governor’s office on January 8, and seven of them later died in hospital. In Shiraz, a 16-year-old young man said that he was hit by a pellet bullet in the lips, eye, and throat, and now suffers from vision problems.

Another eyewitness from Bandar Abbas in southern Iran said that since January 18, martial law has been imposed, with residents banned from taking to the streets after 4 p.m. local time. The source claimed that security forces entered hospitals to remove or kill wounded protesters, and families were allegedly asked to pay 10 billion riyals, about $8,000, to recover the bodies of their children.

Al-Sabti said the renewed diplomacy also deepened public disillusionment within Iran.

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Iranian security forces allegedly killed detainees and burned bodies during the protests, with clashes continuing in Kermanshah, Rasht and Mashhad despite government claims. (National Center of Resistance of Iran)

He added: “Many demonstrators are very disappointed.” “when Trump said On January 13, they believed “help is on the way.” They were very emotional about it. After 47 years, an American president was speaking in support of the Iranian people. But now they interpret his words as helping the regime, not the protesters. “The disappointment is very deep.”

Reuters contributed to this report.