President Donald Trump announced Tuesday that he was canceling talks with Iranian officials amid a bloody crackdown on protests, telling the Iranian people, "Help is on the way."

Trump did not elaborate on what "help" would entail.

However, Trump wrote on Truth Social earlier that morning: "To the patriots of Iran, keep protesting!!! Remember the names of the killers and those who are working to oppress your people. They will be held accountable. All meetings with the Iranian regime are canceled, immediately, because of the uncivilized behavior and violence. Help is on the way. MIGA!!! President Donald J. Trump."

MIGA means "Make Iran Great Again," a phrase that Crown Prince Reza Pahlavi, who has lived in exile in the United States, has used several times in reference to Trump's potential assistance.

Trump has repeatedly warned Tehran that he would take military action if the Iranian government confirmed its use of deadly force against anti-government protesters.

The death toll reported by the U.S.-based Human Rights Activists News Agency is far greater than in any protests or unrest in Iran in decades and evokes the chaos of the 1979 Iranian Islamic Revolution.

The protests, which began just over two weeks ago fueled by anger over Iran's struggling economy, quickly targeted the clerical regime, particularly Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, 86.

Photographs obtained by The Associated Press from protest sites in Tehran on Tuesday showed graffiti and slogans calling for Khamenei's death, acts that could carry the death penalty.

Trump told reporters on Sunday that he believed Iran was "starting to cross the line" and that he and his national security team were reviewing "very strong options" despite attempts by Iran to reach out to the U.S.

However, presidential aides on Monday expressed cautious hope that a diplomatic solution could be found.

White House Press Secretary Caroline Levitt told reporters on Monday: "What the Iranian regime says publicly and the messages that the administration is receiving privately are substantially different, and the president seems willing to explore those messages."

She added, "But nonetheless, the president has shown that he will not hesitate to use military options if he deems it necessary, and Iran knows this better than anyone else."

Trump also announced on Monday that he would impose a 25% tariff on countries that do business with Tehran, effective immediately, though the White House offered no details. AP named China, the United Arab Emirates, Turkey, Brazil, and Russia as countries that do business with Tehran.

Vice President JD Vance, Secretary of State Marco Rubio, and key National Security Council officials have begun meetings on Friday to develop a range of options for Trump, from diplomatic approaches to military strikes.

Iran warned through its parliament speaker that U.S. forces and Israel would become "legitimate targets" if the United States used force to protect the protesters.

The Human Rights Activists News Agency (HRANA) reported Tuesday that more than 600 protests had taken place in 31 provinces across Iran. The activist group said 1,850 of the dead were protesters and 135 were government officials. It also reported that more than 16,700 people had been detained.

It was difficult to ascertain the scale of the protests. Iranian state media offered little information about the demonstrations. Online videos offered only brief glimpses of people waving in the streets or the sounds of gunfire.

Trump's pressure on the Iranian government to end its crackdown comes as he deals with multiple foreign policy emergencies globally.

Just over a week ago, U.S. forces launched a successful operation to arrest and remove Nicolás Maduro from power in Venezuela. The U.S. continues to mass an unusually large number of troops in the Caribbean.

Trump is also focused on brokering an agreement for Israel and Hamas to move to the second phase of a peace deal for Gaza, and on ending the nearly four-year war in Eastern Europe between Russia and Ukraine.

However, Trump's supporters, who have urged strong action against Iran, say now is the opportunity to further weaken the clerical government that has ruled Iran since the 1979 Islamic Revolution.

AP reports that the protests are the largest Iran has witnessed in years, and the protests, triggered by the collapse of the Iranian currency, have now transformed into a greater test of Khamenei's repressive rule.

If Trump helps to overthrow the clerical government in Iran and restore the Pahlavi dynasty, Iran is highly likely to join the Abraham Accords. This could be interpreted as the completion of the Middle East peace initiative forged by President Trump, which is noteworthy.

Furthermore, transforming Iran into a pro-American territory would greatly empower the United States, which has monopolized oil development rights in Venezuela and has ties with the Saudi royal family.

U.S. NNP=Reporter Sung Ku Hong / Special to this paper NNP info@newsandpost.com