Iran alleges protests turned violent to give Trump an excuse to intervene

Iran's foreign minister said the nationwide protests "turned violent" to provide a pretext for U.S. intervention, a claim he offered no evidence for; activists reported at least 544 deaths and widespread detentions amid an internet and phone blackout.

Iran's foreign minister, Abbas Araghchi, told foreign diplomats that recent nationwide protests in Iran "turned violent and bloody to give an excuse" for U.S. intervention and said the situation was "under total control." He offered no evidence for that claim. Activists and rights groups have reported large numbers of deaths and detentions during two weeks of unrest. Communications blackouts have limited independent verification of events. Key details: - Iran's foreign minister alleged the protests were made violent to justify U.S. intervention and said the situation is under control; no evidence was offered for that statement. - Activist sources reported at least 544 people killed and more than 10,600 detained during the protests. - Internet and phone outages in Iran have made independent assessment difficult and limited outside reporting. - U.S. officials, including President Trump, have said Iran has expressed interest in talks and a meeting is being discussed, while U.S. leaders have also considered a range of responses. Summary: Officials' statements and activist counts have increased international attention and diplomatic uncertainty, while restricted communications make independent verification difficult. A meeting between U.S. and Iranian officials is reported to be in the works, but details and timing remain undetermined at this time.