Washington, January 14, 2026 – The Europe Today: U.S. President Donald Trump on Tuesday called on Iranians to continue protesting and to remember those responsible for abuses, asserting that “help is on its way,” as Iran’s clerical authorities intensified their crackdown on the country’s largest demonstrations in years.
In a post on Truth Social, Trump wrote: “Iranian Patriots, KEEP PROTESTING – TAKE OVER YOUR INSTITUTIONS!!!… HELP IS ON ITS WAY,” without specifying the nature of the assistance. He also announced the cancellation of all meetings with Iranian officials until the “senseless killing” of protesters ceases. In a later speech, he urged Iranians to “save the name of the killers and the abusers … because they’ll pay a very big price.”
Iran condemned Trump’s statements, accusing him of encouraging political destabilization and inciting violence within the country.
An Iranian official reported that approximately 2,000 people have been killed during more than two weeks of nationwide unrest, marking the first official estimate of the death toll. U.S.-based rights group HRANA confirmed the deaths of 2,003 people, including 1,850 protesters, and reported that 16,784 individuals have been detained, a significant increase from the previous day’s figures.
When asked to clarify what he meant by “help is on its way,” Trump told reporters that details would have to be inferred. He has previously indicated that military options remain under consideration in response to Iran’s crackdown.
Commenting on the unrest upon returning to Washington from Detroit, Trump said: “The killing looks like it’s significant, but we don’t know yet for certain,” adding that he expected further updates after receiving a report on the situation later Tuesday evening. “We’ll act accordingly,” he stated.
Meanwhile, the U.S. State Department issued an advisory urging American citizens to leave Iran immediately, including by land via Turkey or Armenia.
