<div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>New anti-government </span><a href="https://www.9news.com.au/protests" rel="" target="" title="protests"><span>protests</span></a><span> in </span><a href="https://www.9news.com.au/iran" rel="" target="" title="Iran"><span>Iran</span></a><span> have erupted as </span><a href="https://www.9news.com.au/donald-trump" rel="" target="" title="Donald Trump"><span>Donald Trump</span></a><span> weighs up whether to unleash </span><a href="https://www.9news.com.au/usa" rel="" target="" title="US"><span>US</span></a><span> military action against Tehran, reportedly including assassination attempts against the Islamic Republic's supreme leader and likely successor.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>The student demonstrations broke out at six universities over the weekend – five in Tehran and another in the north-eastern city of Mashhad – according to state television.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>Social media videos appeared to show confrontations at two universities between government supporters and anti-government protesters, with some chanting "death to the dictator".</span></div></div><div><div id="adspot-mobile-medium"></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><strong><span>READ MORE:</span></strong><span> </span><a href="https://www.9news.com.au/world/maralago-shooting-us-secret-service-shoots-man-at-donald-trumps-florida-residence/46f8705e-f4dd-4894-979f-de682908e330" target="_blank"><strong><span>Gunman shot dead at Mar-a-Lago identified as missing 21-year-old</span></strong></a></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>The rallies came as many Iranians held mourning ceremonies marking 40 days since </span><a href="https://www.9news.com.au/world/iran-death-toll-protests-government-crackdown/9fd7a8d6-5943-404e-938d-3f411dc5443d"><span>thousands of civilians were killed in the deadly crackdown against massive, nationwide protests</span></a><span> that gripped the country in late December and early January.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>The US-based Human Rights Activists News Agency (HRANA) identified four citizens who have been arrested at mourning ceremonies since Thursday.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>Exactly how many people were killed in the January protests is unknown due to the internet blackout imposed across the country during the crackdown, but HRANA has put the figure at more than 7000, and says it is investigating 11,744 more reported deaths</span></div></div><div><div class="OUTBRAIN" data-reactroot="" data-src="//www.9news.com.au/world/iran-protests-trump-reportedly-considering-assassination-options/0d6b9552-10f4-4968-9bd0-b3ab3abaa159" data-widget-id="AR_5"></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>The Iranian government said 3117 were killed. It has not commented on the weekend's protests.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><strong><span>WORLD:</span></strong><span> </span><a href="https://www.9news.com.au/world/donald-trump-says-us-sending-hospital-boat-to-greenland/7fa7e6ac-a649-4a7e-807e-4e3472f18439" target="_blank"><strong><span>Trump offered to send Greenland a 'hospital boat'. The reply was blunt</span></strong></a></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>The latest demonstrations come as US President Donald Trump is weighing up whether to strike Iran, even as diplomats from the two nations are set to meet for another round of nuclear talks in Geneva on Thursday (Friday AEDT).</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>On Friday, </span><a href="https://www.9news.com.au/world/trump-says-outcome-of-iran-talks-to-be-decided-over-next-10-days/7f7bf591-90b9-408a-9a92-a2452316b7ae" rel="" target="" title="Trump indicated he would make a decision on military action within 10-15 days"><span>Trump indicated he would make a decision on military action within 10-15 days</span></a><span>. </span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>He flagged the possibility of limited strikes, and warned Tehran to make a deal "otherwise bad things happen".</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>Since those comments, US publication </span><a href="https://www.axios.com/2026/02/21/trump-iran-plan-kill-khamenei-regime-change-deal"><span>Axios has reported the president has been briefed on a range of options by the Pentagon</span></a><span>, including assassinating both Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei and his middle son, and most likely successor, Mojtaba.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><strong><span>READ MORE:</span></strong><span> </span><a href="https://www.9news.com.au/national/i-felt-defamed-the-perth-mum-and-business-owner-cancelled-by-metas-ai/2d86f7fd-dc91-4c13-a8a4-411ac938cfac" target="_blank"><strong><span>'I felt defamed': Perth mum and business owner cancelled by Meta's AI</span></strong></a></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>"They have something for every scenario. One scenario takes out the ayatollah and his son and the mullahs," Axios reported a source as saying. </span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>"What the president chooses no one knows. I don't think he knows."</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>The US has built up its military presence in the Middle East to its highest level in years, with the </span><a href="https://www.9news.com.au/world/middle-east-us-iran-tensions-new-aircraft-carrier-in-indian-ocean/c5ec9aae-e09e-4b00-85ec-918f4af2cbe0"><span>USS Abraham Lincoln aircraft carrier in the Indian Ocean</span></a><span>, and fellow carrier the USS Gerald R Ford – the largest warship on the planet – sighted en route to the region in the Mediterranean Sea.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>According to Trump's special envoy to the Middle East, the president had expected Tehran to relent in negotiations in response to the build-up.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><strong><span>ROYALS:</span></strong><span> </span><a href="https://www.9news.com.au/world/andrew-mountbatten-windsor-arrest-photo-of-ex-prince-leaving-uk-police-station-hung-in-louvre/e10fdc79-6ce8-4e68-b84e-36a813a0e7ab" target="_blank"><strong><span>Now-infamous photo of ex-prince Andrew hung in the Louvre</span></strong></a></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>"I don't want to use the word 'frustrated,' because [Trump] understands he has plenty of alternatives, but he's curious as to why they haven't... I don't want to use the word 'capitulated,' but why they haven't capitulated," Steve Witkoff told Fox News.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>During the protests at the start of the year, </span><a href="https://www.9news.com.au/world/iran-protests-donald-trump-urges-iranians-to-keep-protesting-says-help-is-on-its-way/4db46743-931d-4828-a9f2-269df80c7e87"><span>Trump had hinted US intervention was imminent</span></a><span>, telling Iranians to "keep protesting" and that "help is on the way".</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>However, he ultimately decided against military action, and </span><a href="https://www.9news.com.au/world/iran-protests-update-donald-trump-tariff-announcement/724a31fc-dba2-4d9a-8a39-8144461bc32a"><span>instead imposed tariffs on Iran's trading partners</span></a><span>.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><em><span>– with Associated Press</span></em></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><strong><em><span>NEVER MISS A STORY:</span></em></strong><span> </span><strong><em><span>Get your breaking news and exclusive stories first by following us across all platforms.</span></em></strong></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><ul><li><strong><em><span>Download the 9NEWS App here via</span></em></strong><span> </span><a href="https://apps.apple.com/au/app/9news/id1010533727" target="_blank"><strong><em><span>Apple</span></em></strong></a><span> </span><strong><em><span>and</span></em></strong><span> </span><a href="https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=nineNewsAlerts.nine.com&amp;hl=en_AU&amp;pli=1" target="_blank"><strong><em><span>Google Play</span></em></strong></a></li><li><strong><em><span>Make 9News your preferred source on Google by</span></em></strong><span> </span><a href="https://9.nine.com.au/8x987w" target="_blank"><strong><em><span>ticking this box here</span></em></strong></a></li><li><strong><em><span>Sign up to</span></em></strong><span> </span><a href="https://login.nine.com.au/edm?client_id=nineatnine" target="_blank"><strong><em><span>our breaking newsletter here</span></em></strong></a></li></ul></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span></span></div></div>