U.S. keeps 'all options' on table as Iran urges UN to oppose 'all foreign interference'

U.S. President Donald Trump is keeping "all options on the table," not ruling out military intervention regarding the ongoing crisis in Iran, White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt confirmed on Thursday.

Speaking at a press briefing, Leavitt warned of "grave consequences" if the violence against protesters continues.

Trump has explicitly threatened to intervene militarily, citing the Iranian government's handling of the unrest that erupted following the sharp depreciation of the currency, the rial. "The president and his team are closely monitoring this situation," Leavitt stated.

The threats come amid weeks of volatility in Iran, where protests began in late December over economic grievances. Authorities said they are prepared to address these concerns while warning against violence, vandalism and unrest.

Initially peaceful, the protests gradually escalated into violence, resulting in casualties and damage to public property, including mosques, government buildings and banks. Iranian authorities have attributed the unrest to interference by the United States and Israel.

As tensions mount, the United States is intensifying pressure on multiple fronts. The U.S. military is reportedly evacuating troops from Middle East bases while simultaneously deploying reinforcements to the region, according to Axios.

Diplomatic Maneuvering is also underway. The New York Times reported Thursday that Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu spoke to Trump on Wednesday, asking the White House to postpone any U.S. military attack on Iran, which Trump reportedly has been weighing for days.

On the economic front, the U.S. Department of the Treasury announced new sanctions on Thursday targeting 13 more entities and 11 more individuals allegedly linked to Iran.

The individuals sanctioned are all Iranian citizens, including those tied to Iran's law enforcement forces or the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps, and at least three connected to the energy sector, the updated Specially Designated Nationals (SDN) list showed. The entities targeted also include a prison in Iran's Alborz province and eight companies based in the United Arab Emirates.

Iranian Foreign Minister Seyed Abbas Araghchi has written to UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres, calling for what he described as opposition to "all forms of foreign interference" in Iran.

According to a statement released by Iran's Foreign Ministry on Thursday, Araghchi stated in the letter that the recent unrest in various parts of Iran was orchestrated by "terrorists," who took the opportunity to escalate peaceful protests over economic grievances into armed riots.

Araghchi noted that irresponsible and provocative remarks by former and current U.S. officials had directly incited violence and terrorism within Iran. He added that the United States' repeated threats to use force constitute a serious violation of the purposes and principles of the UN Charter and international law.

He urged the UN to condemn all terrorist acts that occurred during the unrest, as well as any external interference in Iran's sovereignty, territorial integrity and national interests.

Araghchi emphasized that the United States is endangering the lives and safety of the Iranian people, noting that the U.S. is "abusing" peaceful protests to achieve political goals, while it is precisely U.S. sanctions against Iran that have led to the current situation.

Iran's Intelligence Ministry on Thursday also issued a statement announcing the arrest of six "ringleaders" involved in the recent riots in Kerman Province. The statement said these individuals had continuously photographed key military sites in Kerman Province and attempted to transmit relevant images and coordinates to overseas personnel linked to Israel's Mossad intelligence agency, but the attempt failed due to network disruptions. Law enforcement officers seized firearms, stun guns, tear gas and large quantities of bomb-making materials during the operation.

(With input from Xinhua)