Overview
- A senior U.S. official said envoy Steve Witkoff met exiled opposition figure Reza Pahlavi over the weekend, described as the first high-level contact since the protests started, with Pahlavi positioning himself as a potential transitional leader.
- The White House national security team met Tuesday to review response options on Iran, according to Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt, and President Trump did not attend.
- Trump urged Iranians to keep protesting and declared that “help is on its way,” while saying he has suspended meetings with Iranian officials until the killing of protesters stops.
- The European Union summoned Iran’s ambassador in Brussels as Ursula von der Leyen said the bloc is moving swiftly to prepare additional sanctions over the crackdown.
- Casualty estimates remain highly uncertain under a communications blackout, with one rights group reporting roughly 2,000 deaths and a U.S. official citing an Israeli assessment of at least 5,000.