Iran ramps up regional threats as Trump considers talks, eyewitness accounts of regime violence emerge

As diplomatic talks betwixt Washington and Tehran summation momentum, Iran has intensified its rhetoric toward the portion portion continuing a convulsive crackdown astatine home, according to analysts and eyewitness accounts obtained by Fox News Digital.

On Sunday and Monday morning, Iran issued caller warnings that immoderate subject onslaught connected its territory would ignite a determination conflict, adjacent arsenic elder Iranian officials signaled a willingness to negotiate. Reuters reported Monday that Tehran is examining the anticipation of renewed atomic talks with the United States, with Turkey emerging arsenic a imaginable venue and determination mediators including Saudi Arabia and Qatar playing an progressive role, aft President Donald Trump said helium was hopeful a woody could beryllium reached to avert subject enactment against Iran.

U.S. envoy Steve Witkoff is expected to get successful Israel connected Tuesday for meetings with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Israel Defense Forces Chief of Staff Lt. Gen. Eyal Zamir, according to Axios.

IRAN WILL RETALIATE 'WITH EVERYTHING WE HAVE' IF US ATTACKS, SENIOR DIPLOMAT WARNS

The authorities taxation gathering burned during Iran's protests, connected a thoroughfare successful Tehran, Iran, Jan. 19, 2026.  (Majid Asgaripour/WANA (West Asia News Agency) via Reuters)

The talks are expected to absorption connected Iran, pursuing Zamir’s sojourn to Washington implicit the weekend, wherever helium held a bid of meetings with U.S. defence officials connected the Islamic Republic.

Benny Sabti, an Iran adept astatine Israel’s Institute for National Security Studies, told Fox News Digital this signifier is accordant with Tehran’s long-standing strategy.

"This is precise emblematic behaviour for the Iranian regime," Sabti said. He said that Iran deliberately escalated threats days ago, informing that if Iran were attacked, nary state successful the Middle East would beryllium safe. "They dainty the portion arsenic if it is being held hostage," helium said, adding that the maneuver appears to person worked.

Sabti pointed to the database of mediators present involved. "Saudi Arabia, Turkey, Qatar, each of them went to the United States pushing for talks," helium said. "They are trying to debar being dragged into the Iranian threat."

TRUMP SAYS IRAN ALREADY HAS US TERMS AS MILITARY STRIKE CLOCK TICKS

Iranians be an anti-government protestation successful Tehran, Iran, connected Jan. 9, 2026. (UGC via AP)

According to Sabti, Tehran is besides projecting mixed messages by design. "There are 2 voices coming retired of Iran," helium said. "On 1 side, the generals, the IRGC, the military, escalating threats. On the different side, the overseas curate and the president are talking astir negotiations."

On Monday morning, Al Arabiya reported that Iranian quality agencies Tasnim and Fars deleted a study that referenced support for negotiations with the United States.

Sabti said that adjacent Iran’s National Security Council reflects this dual messaging. He noted that a lawman authoritative precocious signaled Iran would not yet further beforehand its enriched uranium, portion subject officials simultaneously escalated rhetoric. "It is meant to confuse the force and to support the full Middle East nether pressure," helium said.

While Iran’s outer posture oscillates betwixt threats and diplomacy, reports from wrong the state constituent to an intensifying crackdown connected protesters.

Independent casualty estimates alteration widely. The Human Rights Activists News Agency (HRANA) reported that, based connected its latest aggregated data, 6,842 radical had been confirmed killed by the extremity of the 36th time of protests. According to HRANA, 6,425 of those killed were recorded arsenic protesters, portion 146 were children nether the property of 18. An further 11,280 cases stay nether review. HRANA and different opposition-linked groups person warned that the last toll could beryllium importantly higher, with immoderate estimates reaching arsenic precocious arsenic 30,000 deaths.

Fox News Digital received eyewitness accounts from individuals identified arsenic portion of the MEK’s Resistance Units web wrong Iran.

IRAN’S SUPREME LEADER ACKNOWLEDGES THOUSANDS KILLED AS TRUMP CALLS FOR NEW LEADERSHIP: REPORTS

Iran protests decease toll rises arsenic Rubina Aminian joins hundreds allegedly killed by authorities forces. (MAHSA / Middle East Images / AFP via Getty Images))

One eyewitness from Eslamshahr, a confederate territory of Tehran, said a radical of 27 protesters was fired upon, sidesplitting 10. The root said a relative was killed, different cousin, Melika, 20, was mutilated, and the bodies were buried successful a adjacent park.

In Lahijan, successful bluish Gilan Province, an eyewitness said 30 protesters were changeable extracurricular the governor’s bureau connected Jan. 8, with 7 aboriginal dying successful the hospital. In Shiraz, a 16-year-old said helium was changeable with pellet guns successful the lips, oculus and pharynx and is present experiencing imaginativeness problems.

Another eyewitness from Bandar Abbas successful confederate Iran said that since Jan. 18, martial instrumentality has been imposed, with residents barred from the streets aft 4:00 p.m. section time. The root claimed information forces entered hospitals to region oregon termination wounded protesters and that families were allegedly told to wage 10 cardinal rials, astir $8,000, to retrieve the bodies of their children.

Sabti said the renewed diplomacy has besides deepened nationalist disillusionment wrong Iran.

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Iranian information forces allegedly killed detainees and burned bodies during protests, with clashes continuing successful Kermanshah, Rasht and Mashhad contempt authorities claims. (NCRI)

"Many protesters are precise disappointed," helium said. "When Trump said connected Jan. 13 that 'help is connected its way,' they believed it. They were precise affectional astir it. After 47 years, an American president was speaking successful enactment of the Iranian people. But present they construe his words arsenic helping the regime, not the protesters. The disappointment is precise deep."

Reuters contributed to this report.