'At least 648 protesters killed so far': Norway-based group's big claim on Iran protests

US President Donald Trump said the United States is closely monitoring the escalating protests in Iran and weighing a range of possible responses, including military options, as the reported death toll from the crackdown continues to rise. Speaking to reporters aboard Air Force One, Trump said he had been briefed in recent days on several intervention scenarios and warned Tehran against targeting American interests. Asked how Washington would respond if Iran struck US military bases, Trump issued a sharp warning, saying the US would retaliate decisively.In Tehran, Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian accused the United States and Israel of attempting to destabilise the country by fuelling unrest. While promising that the government would listen to public grievances, he warned citizens to stay away from what he described as “rioters and terrorists.” Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei also weighed in, sharing a cartoon on social media portraying Trump as a crumbling sarcophagus, accompanied by the message, “this one too will be overthrown.”Activists say at least 544 people have been killed since the protests began, with more than 10,600 detained over the past two weeks. Hospitals across Iran are reportedly under severe strain, with medical workers describing overwhelmed emergency rooms, overcrowded corridors and full morgues as casualties continue to mount.