THE IRANIAN government claimed yesterday that the huge anti-government protests held across the country were “under total control,” as the death toll in the nationwide demonstrations rose to at least 544.

Speaking to foreign diplomats in Tehran yesterday, Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi insisted that “the situation has come under total control” in fiery remarks that blamed Israel and the US for the violence, without offering evidence.

“That’s why the demonstrations turned violent and bloody to give an excuse to the [US] president to intervene,” Mr Araghchi said.

The minister also said that the internet, which his government has blocked across the country since Thursday night, would be restored. He did not say when, however.

The protests began on December 28 over the collapse of the Iranian Rial, which trades at over 1.4 million to $1, as the country’s economy is squeezed by international sanctions.

The protests intensified and grew into calls directly challenging Iran’s theocracy.

Meanwhile, US President Donald Trump said yesterday that Iran wanted to negotiate with Washington after his threat to strike the Islamic Republic over its bloody crackdown on protesters.

The Associated Press reported yesterday that, according to its White House sources, Mr Trump and his military teams are considering launching cyber or direct missile attacks on Iran.

“The military is looking at it, and we’re looking at some very strong options,” Mr Trump told reporters on Air Force One on Sunday night.

Mr Trump said that his administration — busy crushing protests at home — was in talks to set up a meeting with Tehran, but cautioned that he may have to act first as reports of the death toll in Iran mount and the government continues to arrest protesters.

Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesman Esmail Baghaei said yesterday that it was willing to speak with the US, but talks needed to be “based on the acceptance of mutual interests and concerns, not a negotiation that is one-sided, unilateral and based on dictation.”

More than 10,600 people also have been detained over the two weeks of protests, said the US-based Human Rights Activists News Agency.

It said 496 of the dead were protesters and 48 were with security forces.