The United States has issued an urgent directive for its citizens to leave Iran immediately, citing escalating protests and door-to-door raids by Iranian security forces during a nationwide internet blackout.
According to Express, President Donald Trump instructed all Americans to leave Iran, warning that military action is possible if Tehran intensifies its crackdown. This advisory follows reports of Iranian forces confiscating satellite dishes and disrupting communications to suppress dissent.
Internet Blackout and Raids
Since 8 January, Iranian authorities have imposed a near-total shutdown of mobile, landline, and internet services, isolating millions from external communication. Amnesty International condemned the blackout as a deliberate effort to conceal human rights violations and warned that protesters face significant risks without international oversight.
Reports from Iran International indicate that security forces have been seizing satellite dishes and private CCTV footage to identify demonstrators. Residents in Tehran reported that agents disguised as utility workers entered homes and removed equipment.
Rising Death Toll
The unrest, triggered by economic grievances and intensified by opposition to clerical rule, has resulted in hundreds of fatalities. Activists told ABC News that at least 544 protesters have been killed and more than 10,681 detained. Demonstrations have expanded to 186 cities across all 31 provinces, representing one of the most significant waves of dissent since the 1979 revolution.
The Institute for the Study of War observed that Iranian authorities now label protesters as 'terrorists' instead of 'rioters.' Analysts caution that this shift signals an uncompromising position and may be used to justify further lethal crackdowns.
US Military Options
Trump's top national security officials are set to brief him on possible responses to Iran's deadly crackdown, according to The Hill. The president has threatened military intervention and said he is considering 'strong options' to respond to what human rights groups allege is the killing of hundreds and injuring thousands.
Former US officials and analysts say a range of options are available, spanning diplomacy, sabotage, cyberattacks, and military strikes. Ilan Goldenberg, senior vice president at J Street, told The Hill: 'All these things matter. Do they matter enough? Nobody knows.' He added that Iran's rulers are facing rare weakness, with economic discontent, severe water shortages, and a military strained by conflicts with Israel and the US.
Analysts suggest military strikes could be calibrated to achieve specific aims, such as protecting protesters or disabling security installations, while attempting to avoid escalation. Some floated options include targeting Iranian military or security installations involved in suppressing protests, or even an operation against Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei.
However, experts caution that Iran's geography and the positioning of US military assets make such an operation highly unlikely. 'We do not have the capacity to do in Iran like what we did in Venezuela,' Goldenberg said, referencing Trump's recent capture of Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro.
White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt said on Monday: 'Diplomacy is always the first option for the president,' but added that 'all options remain open, including airstrikes.'
Cyber and Covert Operations
According to analysts, a less risky option is cyber action. Goldenberg suggested that 'cyberattacks going after IRGC [Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps] capabilities would be incredibly meaningful.' The IRGC, an elite arm of Iran's armed forces, has been deployed against protesters, underscoring the regime's determination to crush dissent.
Mark Dubowitz, CEO of the Foundation for Defense of Democracies, and Behnam Ben Taleblu, senior director of its Iran programme, argued in The Atlantic that targeted cyber and covert operations could focus on facilities used by the Basij militia, cyber police, and morality police. They also suggested kinetic strikes on government 'security convoys' moving to quash protests. 'None of this requires occupation or nation building,' they wrote. 'It requires precision intelligence, covert action, and close cooperation between the CIA and Israel's Mossad — capabilities already proven inside Iran.'
US Tariffs and Diplomatic Pressure
Beyond military options, Trump has announced a 25% tariff on exports from any country trading with Iran to isolate Tehran economically. The administration insists that sanctions and tariffs are designed to choke off revenue streams funding Iran's crackdown and regional military campaigns.
Iran's Warning
Iran's Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi told Al Jazeera that Tehran is 'ready for war' if Washington tests military options. Tens of thousands of pro-government demonstrators have rallied in Tehran, Isfahan, and Mashhad in a show of force. The Revolutionary Guard Corps continues to deploy heavily armed units across major cities.
Human Consequences
For ordinary Iranians, the blackout has severed lifelines to the outside world. Families are unable to contact relatives abroad, businesses have collapsed under communication restrictions, and protesters risk detention without witnesses.
Rebecca White of Amnesty International said: 'Access to the internet is a basic human right and indispensable in times of protest.' The organisation stressed that the blackout itself constitutes a violation under international law.
What Comes Next
With tensions rising, the US has begun evacuating non-essential personnel from diplomatic missions across the Middle East. Analysts caution that any strike could trigger retaliation against US bases and allies in the region.
For now, the message from Washington is clear: Americans must leave Iran while they still can. For Iranians, the blackout and raids mark one of the harshest crackdowns since the revolution, leaving the country teetering on the edge of deeper conflict.
Originally published on IBTimes UK
