According to him, a US attack could happen if necessary after US President Donald Trump's threats to “come to the aid” of protesters in Iran, in particular if local authorities “open fire and brutally kill” them.
As WSJ interlocutors told us, negotiations are at an early stage and are a normal part of any planning.
Media sources noted that Iran is not yet at risk of an imminent attack.
The US course of action towards Tehran has not yet been agreed upon, and military equipment and soldiers have not been deployed in preparation for the strike, an unnamed American official emphasized in a comment to the WSJ.
Context
Massive anti-government protests in Iran began on December 28, 2025 amid economic problems in the country. Iran's Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei called the protesters “rebels” and called for their suppression.
Clashes occurred between protesters and law enforcement officers, which, according to Reuters, became the bloodiest in the last three years. According to the Human Rights Activists News Agency, as of January 8, 2026, at least 42 people have died as a result of the demonstrations, including at least four intelligence officers. More than 2,260 people were detained. In Tehran alone, at least 217 participants in mass protests were killed as a result of clashes with Iranian security forces, noted January 10 Time.
On January 2, Trump threatened to intervene if peaceful protests in Iran were suppressed.
On January 10, the Iranian Army announced its readiness to join in the suppression of protests in the country. Iran's Prosecutor General threatened the protesters with the death penalty.
