U.S. Says ‘All Options Are on the Table’ on Iran, Signals Support for Protesters at UN

New York, January 16, 2026 — The United States has warned that “all options are on the table” to stop what it described as ongoing violence in Iran, reiterating its support for Iranian protesters during a United Nations Security Council meeting in New York.
Speaking at the session on Thursday, U.S. Ambassador Mike Waltz said Washington stands with what he called the “brave people of Iran,” adding that President Donald Trump has made clear the United States is prepared to consider every option to halt the bloodshed. The meeting was convened at the request of the United States, according to a report by Reuters.
Waltz said President Trump is a leader of action rather than rhetoric, stressing that the U.S. decision to call the Security Council meeting reflected the seriousness of the situation. He dismissed Iranian claims that the protests were driven by foreign conspiracies or aimed at provoking military action.
According to Waltz, Iran’s leadership is weaker than before and fears the growing power of its own people, which he said explains what he described as false narratives from Tehran.
Iran strongly rejected the U.S. position. Deputy Iranian Ambassador to the UN, Gholamhossein Darzi, said Iran does not seek escalation or conflict. He described the U.S. statements as false, misleading and part of a deliberate disinformation campaign intended to conceal Washington’s alleged role in inciting violence inside Iran.
Reuters reported that Iran’s authorities have launched a harsh crackdown on protests against the country’s religious leadership, with thousands reportedly killed so far. In response, President Trump has repeatedly threatened possible intervention in support of demonstrators.
However, Trump struck a slightly more cautious tone on Thursday, telling Reuters that he had been informed the level of killings appeared to be declining. He added that, at this moment, he did not believe Iran was planning mass executions on a large scale.
The situation remains tense, with sharp exchanges at the United Nations underscoring deep divisions between Washington and Tehran over Iran’s internal unrest and the international response to it.