WASHINGTON/TEHERAN - US President Donald Trump has been briefed in recent days on new options for military strikes against Iran, The New York Times reported on Saturday, citing anonymous US officials familiar with the matter.
Trump "has not made a final decision, but the officials said he was seriously considering authorizing a strike in response to the Iranian regime's efforts to suppress demonstrations set off by widespread economic grievances", the report said.
Trump has been presented with a range of options, including strikes on non-military sites in Teheran, it added.
Earlier on Saturday, Trump wrote on social media that "Iran is looking at FREEDOM, perhaps like never before. The USA stands ready to help!!!"
Trump and other senior US officials have repeatedly warned that Washington would take action if Iran "kills peaceful protesters".
"If they start killing people ... we will get involved," Trump told reporters on Friday, adding that "that doesn't mean boots on the ground, but it means hitting them very, very hard where it hurts".
Iran's Foreign Ministry on Wednesday condemned what it described as "interventionist and deceptive" remarks by the Trump administration about the unrest, saying they reflected Washington's continued hostility toward the Iranian people.
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Protests have erupted in several Iranian cities since late December over the sharp fall of the rial and long-standing economic hardship. Iranian authorities have acknowledged the demonstrations and voiced willingness to address economic grievances, while warning against violence and vandalism.
On Saturday, the Iranian military pledged to defend national interests, protect strategic infrastructure and public property amid ongoing protests, and urged Iranians to unite to "thwart the enemy's plots", according to state broadcaster IRIB.
In a statement, the military accused Israel and "hostile terrorist organizations" of "attempting to undermine order and peace in cities and disrupt public security through another conspiracy", and of "trying to incite another rebellion in the name of supporting the Iranian people". It called on the public to remain vigilant and unite to "defeat the enemy's plots", saying Iran is "in the middle of a war".
The statement said the army, together with other armed forces, "under the command" of Iranian Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei, would monitor enemy movements and resolutely defend national interests while protecting strategic infrastructure and public property.
