President Donald Trump has issued a stark warning to Iran, emphasizing that the window for diplomatic negotiations is rapidly closing. He cautioned that if Iran does not engage in discussions, the United States might resort to military action. In response, Iran has vowed to retaliate with unprecedented force if attacked.

Amidst these rising tensions, prominent figures from the United States and Europe have weighed in. Marco Rubio, a top U.S. diplomat, characterized the Iranian leadership as being at its most vulnerable state yet. Meanwhile, Germany’s leader, Friedrich Merz, suggested that the recent and intense crackdown on anti-government protests might signal the Islamic Republic’s impending downfall.

These protests, which erupted towards the end of December and reached their peak in early January, have been extraordinarily deadly. According to a rights group, the unrest resulted in the deaths of more than 6,200 individuals. In light of these events, President Trump has not dismissed the possibility of military intervention.

Last June, the United States conducted strikes targeting Iranian nuclear facilities. These actions were part of a broader conflict involving Israel, which engaged in a 12-day campaign against Iran.

In a recent communication via Truth Social, Trump refrained from directly addressing the protests. Instead, he reiterated the urgency for Iran to engage in negotiations concerning its nuclear program, which the U.S. suspects is aimed at developing nuclear weapons.

‘Time is running out’

“Hopefully Iran will quickly ‘Come to the Table’ and negotiate a fair and equitable deal — NO NUCLEAR WEAPONS — one that is good for all parties. Time is running out, it is truly of the essence!” said Trump.

“The next attack will be far worse! Don’t make that happen again,” he added, referring to American strikes against Iranian targets during the June war.

A US naval strike group — that Trump described as an “armada” led by aircraft carrier, the USS Abraham Lincoln — is now lurking in Middle East waters.

In response to Trump, Iran’s mission to the United Nations posted a screenshot of his threat on X and wrote: “Iran stands ready for dialogue based on mutual respect and interests — BUT IF PUSHED, IT WILL DEFEND ITSELF AND RESPOND LIKE NEVER BEFORE!”

Merz suggested it could be only a “matter of weeks” until the Iranian government was no longer in charge of the country.

“A regime that can only hold onto power through sheer violence and terror against its own population: its days are numbered,” he said at a press conference.

Iran warns US would ‘suffer damage’

His comments came as Rubio told the Senate Foreign Relations Committee on Wednesday that Iran was threatened by its inability to address the fact “that their economy is in collapse”, calling it the root of the protests.

Analysts say US options include strikes on military facilities or targeted hits against the leadership under Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, in a full-scale bid to bring down the system that has ruled Iran since the 1979 Islamic revolution that ousted the shah.

Before Trump’s comments were published, foreign minister Abbas Araghchi said “conducting diplomacy through military threat cannot be effective or useful”.

In televised comments, Araghchi said he had “no contact” with US Middle East envoy Steve Witkoff in recent days and that Iran had “not sought negotiations”.

Iranian armed forces chief of staff Habibollah Sayyari warned the US against any “miscalculation”, saying that “they too would suffer damage”.

For the latest from SBS News, download our app and subscribe to our newsletter.