Axios: Trump considers options to weaken regime in Tehran

US President Donald Trump is exploring several options to support protests in Iran and weaken the regime in Tehran, two US officials told Axios.

One source said the president is considering all options, but no decision has been made.

A second official noted that military strikes were discussed, but most of the options presented to Trump at this stage are non-military.

Sources acknowledged that it is difficult to predict which course of action Trump will choose. According to them, preliminary meetings have been held in recent days within the administration to discuss ways to support the protests.

While options under consideration include US military strikes on Iranian regime targets, many officials believe that a large-scale force at this stage could undermine the protests, one official said.

Other options include regime-containment measures, such as announcing the deployment of a US aircraft carrier strike group to the region. A US official also said that cyberattacks and information operations against the Iranian regime are being considered.

Trump suggested on January 10 the U.S. could intervene on the side of the protesters, writing: "Iran is looking at FREEDOM, perhaps like never before. The USA stands ready to help!!!"

Protests in Iran have been ongoing since December 28, 2025, when shopkeepers and merchants in Tehran’s Grand Bazaar and other commercial centres shut their shops and took to the streets to protest a deepening economic crisis marked by soaring inflation, skyrocketing food prices and the sharp collapse of the Iranian rial to record lows.

According to rights group HRANA, at least 116 people, including 38 security personnel, have died during demonstrations, seven of them under 18. Authorities have arrested at least 2,638 people since the protests began.

The unrest has spread across the country, with 574 protest locations identified in 185 cities across all 31 provinces, reflecting the nationwide scale of the demonstrations. In response, Iranian authorities have frequently restricted internet access and social media platforms, aiming to disrupt communication among protesters and control information.

By Khagan Isayev