Trump urges Iranians to protest as EU moves towards tougher action

US president Donald Trump has urged people in Iran to “keep protesting” and to “take over” state institutions, saying that “help is on its way”. Writing on his Truth Social platform, Trump said he had cancelled all meetings with Iranian officials until the killing of protesters stops.

It is unclear what he meant by “help”. However, the White House said the US was considering “many options”, including airstrikes. Diplomacy remained the preferred route.

Meanwhile, the European Union is preparing further action against Tehran. European Commission president Ursula von der Leyen said the EU would “swiftly” propose new sanctions against those responsible for the violent repression of demonstrations. She condemned the “excessive use of force” and said the rising number of casualties was “horrifying”. 

The EU has already imposed travel bans and asset freezes on Iranian officials, including listing the Revolutionary Guard under its human rights sanctions regime.

Several European countries have also summoned Iranian ambassadors to protest against the killings. France, Germany, Spain, Italy, the Netherlands, the UK, Finland and Denmark all took this step. Germany described the crackdown as “shocking”, and France said “state violence” was being used against peaceful protesters. Belgium took similar action earlier. 

Reports suggest the death toll is rising sharply. The US-based Human Rights Activists News Agency says at least 2,000 people have been killed, most of them protesters, and more than 16,000 have been arrested. The true number is hard to verify due to internet restrictions imposed by Iranian authorities.

^{© Brendan Smialowski / AFP}