Iran says it is open to talks with the US but is prepared for war.

Iranian officials said on January 12 that the country was ready for 

war but also for talks with the US, as President Donald Trump 

continued to threaten to intervene amid the government-led

violent crackdown on protesters.In a briefing for foreign 

ambassadors in Tehran, Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araqchi 

said the country “does not seek war” but is ready for it,

according to multiple media reports of the speech

The comments came a day after Trump said he was considering 

military options against Iran.Anti-government protests have

entered their third week since mass demonstrations erupted

in late December over rising prices and the collapse of the

Iranian rial. Human rights and international monitoring

groups have monitored the demonstrations in the country’s

major cities and dozens of cities in all its provinces. It is the

largest uprising challenging the Islamic republic’s religious

rule since 2022.The Norway-based organization Iran Human

Rights reported on January 11 that it had confirmed that at

least 192 protesters had been killed since the protests began.

The U.S.-based Human Rights Watch said it had verified the

deaths of more than 500 protesters in hundreds of locations

so far. The group said more than 10,600 people had been

transferred to prison after being arrested.Iran has not provided

any official figures. An internet blackout imposed by the 

government since January 8 has cut off communication with

people inside the country, disrupting the flow of 

information.Demonstrations in support of protesters have also 

occurred in Los Angeles in recent days, where a driver

drove a U-Haul truck into a large crowd on January 11.Araqchi 

claimed that the protests were “fully under control” and said that 

Trump’s warning that the United States could intervene

had inspired what he called terrorists to target protesters and 

security forces in an attempt to invite foreign intervention

Trump has repeatedly warned Iranian leaders against killing 

protesters and has escalated his threats in recent weeks.

On January 11, the president told reporters aboard

Air Force One that he was considering military action.

"The military is looking at this, and we are looking at some very 

strong options. We will make a decision,"

Trump said.Trump said that Iranian leaders are willing to talk

to the US administration and that a meeting has been arranged,

but "we may have to take action because of what is happening 

before the meeting."Trump said that Iran has called for talks

on its controversial nuclear program.On January 12, Foreign 

Ministry spokesman Esmail Baghai said that communication 

between the two countries, through their traditional mediator 

Switzerland, was open and that Iran "has never left the

negotiating table." Baghai said the US was showing disrespect

by sending "contradictory messages."