Unrest under total control, claims Iran

Iran said on Monday that the situation is "under total control" amid mounting fatalities from more than two weeks of unrest that Tehran has blamed on the United States and Israel, despite US President Donald Trump ramping up threats to interfere in the country.

Talking to foreign diplomats in Tehran, Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi said the protests had "turned violent and bloody to give an excuse" for Trump to intervene, Al Jazeera satellite news network reported.

Chinese Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Mao Ning said on Monday that China hopes the Iranian government and people can overcome the current difficult situation and maintain national stability.

Trump said on Sunday that he was considering "strong options" as Iran was "starting to" cross US red lines, including potential military intervention.

China has always opposed interference in other countries' internal affairs and advocated that the sovereignty and security of all nations should be fully protected by international law, Mao said at a regular news conference when asked about Trump's remarks.

She expressed opposition to the use or threat of use of force in international relations, and called on all parties to do more to contribute to peace and stability in the Middle East.

The Iranian government earlier declared three days of national mourning for "martyrs" who died in clashes sparked by the rising cost of living, as the semiofficial Tasnim News Agency reported on Sunday that at least 111 members of Iran's security forces had been killed.

In an interview with the Islamic Republic of Iran Broadcasting, President Masoud Pezeshkian pledged to address mounting economic grievances in the country, saying his government is "ready to engage with protesters and address their concerns" while urging them to prevent "rioters" from wreaking havoc.

Israel and the US were masterminding the destabilization in the country, Pezeshkian said, adding that "the same forces that struck this country" during the 12-day war with Israel in June were "trying to escalate the unrest under the guise of economic grievances".

The demonstrations, which have entered the third week, began on Dec 28 when some merchants in Tehran closed their shops over the rial's sharp depreciation. Iran had blamed the unrest on foreign-linked agents and US sanctions.

Pezeshkian also urged participation in a "national resistance march" against violence, as the government called for rallies on Monday to condemn "US and Israel-led terrorist acts".

Assertive foreign policy

The unrest in Iran has unfolded as Trump pursues an assertive foreign policy, having forcibly abducted Venezuela's President Nicolas Maduro, and threatening to annex Greenland by purchase or force.

Trump is scheduled to meet with senior advisers on Tuesday to discuss options for Iran, Reuters reported. The Wall Street Journal, meanwhile, said that options include military strikes, using secret cyberweapons, expanding sanctions and providing online help to anti-government elements.

"We're looking at it very seriously," Trump told reporters on Sunday. "The military is looking at it, and we're looking at some very strong options. We'll make a determination."

Tehran had reached out to seek negotiations after his threats, Trump said. A meeting is being arranged, but "we may have to act before a meeting", he added.

However, some US lawmakers questioned the wisdom of taking military action.

"I don't know that bombing Iran will have the intended effect," Republican Senator Rand Paul said on ABC News' This Week.

Rather than undermining Iran, a military attack could unite the Iranian people against external aggression, he said.

The escalating violence in Iran has been accompanied by a sharp rise in regional tensions. Iranian Parliament Speaker Mohammad Baqer Qalibaf on Sunday issued a stark warning, saying all US military bases in the Middle East and Israel would be "legitimate targets" in the event of an attack on Iran.

cuihaipei@chinadaily.com.cn