The UK has closed its embassy in Tehran and withdrawn staff from Iran after the country’s leaders warned they would hit American targets in the region if US president Donald Trump ordered strikes over the regime’s brutal crackdown on popular protests.

Over the weekend, Iranian Foreign Minister Araghchi initiated talks with Trump’s Middle East envoy Steve Witkoff regarding the unrest in Iran, two sources with knowledge of the matter told Axios. Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi spoke with the Trump administration's Middle East special envoy Steve Witkoff over the weekend,

Foreign minister says he hopes Washington will choose ‘wise option’ of dialogue after Trump threatens US intervention.

US President Trump's claim that Tehran called up Washington seeking negotiations comes just a few hours after Iran's supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei posted a cartoon on X. , World News, Times No

Iran says it is keeping diplomatic channels open with the United States and is prepared to negotiate, even as nationwide protests

Donald Trump warns of strong US action if Iran hangs protesters, halts talks, and assures Iranian citizens that help is on its way amid unrest.

Iran might be crossing a red line that will force U.S. action, even as the two sides plan talks over the violent crackdown on protesters.

Rights groups say the crackdown has been severe. The US-based Human Rights Activists News Agency said it had verified 544 deaths, while Iran Human Rights confirmed at least 192 protesters killed, warning the real toll could be several hundred or more.