Iranian president vows to engage in dialogue with protesters, but warns against rioters

The Iranian government is willing to engage in dialogue with protesters, but rioters will not be tolerated, Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian said in a televised interview aired on Sunday.

The interview came as deadly clashes have been reported in recent days between Iranian police and what the government described as "rioters", amid ongoing protests in several Iranian cities since late December over the sharp fall of the rial and long-standing economic hardship.

In the televised interview with the state-run IRIB, he said that the government recognizes peaceful protests as a fundamental right, and engaging in dialogue with protesters remains its duty, adding that the government is willing to meet with all parties demonstrating in the country.

He has personally engaged in dialogue with representatives of the public to understand their demands and concerns, thereby assisting the government in addressing economic difficulties, according to the president.

He also accused the United States and Israel of ordering "rioters" to create instability in Iran, calling on the public to stay away from the "rioters and terrorists".

He said that his government is prepared to address the economic grievances driving the protests, but warned that "rioters" will not be tolerated.

"People have concerns, and we should sit with them and resolve those concerns," Pezeshkian said. "But our higher duty is not to allow a group of rioters to come and destroy the entire society."

The recent unrest and vandalism of public facilities in Iran are part of the plots hatched by the United States and Israel, Pezeshkian said, noting that the perpetrators are "not protesters, but rioters".

He also called on all the Iranian people to unite and resolutely resist acts of sabotage.

Iranian government declared on Sunday three days of national mourning for martyrs killed in recent unrest with certain external forces behind the scene, state broadcaster reported.

Semi-official Tasnim news agency reported that at least 111 members of Iran's security forces have been killed in clashes since the protests initially erupted. The Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps strongly condemned the recent terrorist attacks in Iran, and called for a nationwide rally on Monday in a statement issued on Sunday.

In recent days, rioters and armed terrorists have committed acts of sedition and criminal offenses across Iran, resulting in the martyrdom of hundreds of Iranian citizens and security personnel, which is in fact an extension of the 12-day war that the United States and Israel had imposed on Iran, according to the statement.

Meanwhile, U.S. President Donald Trump has been briefed in recent days on new options for military strikes against Iran, The New York Times reported on Saturday, citing anonymous U.S. officials familiar with the matter.

Trump "has not made a final decision, but the officials said he was seriously considering authorizing a strike in response to the Iranian regime's efforts to suppress demonstrations set off by widespread economic grievances," the report said.

Trump is scheduled to be briefed by senior officials on Tuesday on specific options to respond to the protests in Iran, the Wall Street Journal reported on Sunday, citing U.S. officials.

Iranian president vows to engage in dialogue with protesters, but warns against rioters

A major port in northern Venezuela came under U.S. airstrikes in the early hours of January 3, which caused extensive damage to civilian infrastructure, destroyed critical medical supplies in a warehouse, and severely impacted centuries-old cultural heritage sites, according to local residents.

The La Guaira Port, a vital hub for imports that support daily life in the region, was heavily damaged during the attack.

Large quantities of medical supplies stored at the port were destroyed. A historic cultural building dating back for some 300 years was also badly damaged by the bombardment.

Residents living near the port recalled the terrifying scenes as explosions shook nearby neighborhoods.

Humberto Bolivar, who lives in a community separated from the port by only a main road, said the blast waves shattered his home's windows, while stray shrapnel struck the water tank on his roof. According to reports, three missiles were fired at the port that night.

Bolivar said that beyond material losses, he is most concerned about the psychological impact on his children, who remain too frightened to leave their home days after the attack.

"The United States invaded our country. The children were frightened. This is not good for them, because it leaves some children with psychological trauma. They do not want to go to school or leave the house, because they are afraid that something worse might happen. We truly do not want this to happen to our country," he said.

Apart from civilian facilities, local cultural heritage site was also affected.

The La Guaira state government building, a structure with nearly 300 years of history and once served as the site of Venezuela's first national customs office, was struck by the force of the explosions.

Windows of the building were shattered, and furniture scattered across the floor.

"As people of La Guaira, we feel deep pain. Our cultural heritage has been bombed. We are living in constant anxiety and suffering, and life can no longer be the same as it was before," said a local named Henry Cumares.

The U.S. side has claimed the airstrikes targeted warehouses allegedly used to store narcotics. However, locals refuted such accusation.

"According to what Donald Trump said, they bombed this place using the excuse that the warehouses here were used to store drugs at the port. But based on the video released by our governor, these warehouses that were burned contained medicine for kidney patients and foods. Many people depend on these supplies to survive. I think the bombing is extremely despicable," said a local resident named Alejandro Capriles.

US strike hits Venezuelan port, wrecking medical supplies, heritage building