President Donald Trump on Friday sharply warned Iran to agree to what he called a fair nuclear deal, while condemning the regime’s recent violent suppression of anti-government demonstrations and signaling he is weighing possible military action.
Speaking publicly about last month’s crackdown, Trump highlighted the reported scale of the bloodshed and drew a distinction between Iran’s citizens and its ruling leadership. “You know, the people of Iran are a lot different than the leaders of Iran. And it’s a very, very sad situation. 32,000 people were killed over a relatively short period of time,” Trump said, in his first reference to a specific death toll tied to the unrest. “They were going to hang 800, two weeks ago, some by crane. They lift them up with a tall crane and they play them around the square.”
Trump went on to describe what he said was a direct warning delivered to Tehran over the planned executions. “They were going to hang 837 people and I gave them the word: ‘If you hang one person, even one person, that you’re going to be hit right then and there.’ I wasn’t waiting two weeks and negotiating, and they gave up the hanging. They didn’t hang 837. Supposedly they didn’t hang anybody,” he added.
NEW: Trump says the Islamic regime in Iran killed 32,000 protesters.
"I feel very badly for the people of Iran. They have lived in hell." pic.twitter.com/4YDWqnd78D
— Kassy Akiva (@KassyAkiva) February 20, 2026
Expressing sympathy for ordinary Iranians, Trump said, “I feel very badly for the people of Iran. They’ve lived in hell,” continued Trump.
Earlier in the day, Trump appeared to acknowledge that he is considering a limited military strike aimed at pressuring Iran into accepting U.S. terms for a nuclear agreement. When reporters asked whether he was contemplating such an option, following a Wall Street Journal report published Thursday, Trump briefly paused before replying, “I guess you can say I am considering it.”
Even as he made that remark, Trump signaled he would not disclose details of any potential course of action, indicating he would not publicly reveal his strategy regarding Iran as reporters were escorted from the room.
His comments coincided with new developments in the region. The USS Gerald R. Ford, which Trump directed to deploy to the Middle East last week, has now entered the Mediterranean Sea, according to maritime tracking information. Tracking data also showed that the USS Mahan, an Arleigh Burke-class destroyer that is part of the Ford carrier strike group, passed through the Strait of Gibraltar. The aircraft carrier itself is expected to require several more days before arriving in the Middle East, where it would be positioned for potential operations involving Iran.
A day earlier, Trump cautioned that Iran must finalize an agreement regarding its nuclear activities or face consequences, warning that “bad things” would occur if no deal is reached.
While maintaining that diplomatic talks are progressing, Trump emphasized that any accord must meet U.S. standards. “Now, we may have to take it a step further – or we may not. Maybe we’re going to make a deal. You’re going to be finding out over the next, probably 10 days,” Trump added.
According to a report Wednesday by CBS News, senior national security officials have informed Trump that the U.S. military stands ready to carry out strikes against Iran as soon as Saturday, if directed to do so.
At the same time, individuals familiar with the high-level deliberations told CBS News that any action is unlikely to occur within the immediate weekend timeframe.
Separately, The Telegraph quoted a source within the U.S. administration as saying the probability of war in the coming weeks now stands at 90 percent. An Israeli former intelligence chief cited in the same report indicated he believes a strike could happen within days.
{Matzav.com}