The US could launch military strikes against Iran within the next 24 hours, with President Donald Trump having made the decision to attack Iranian territory, though the scale and timing remain unclear, Reuters reported on January 14, citing an unnamed American source.

Trump addressed Iranian citizens amid mass protests in the Islamic Republic, calling on them to seize government buildings and "continue the fight". Iranian protesters burned alive a prosecutor from North Khorasan province and several other security officials during the unrest, according to reports.

Morgues in six Tehran hospitals alone contain the bodies of 217 people who died during the suppression of protests, according to media reports. An Iranian court sentenced Erfan Soltani, 26, to death after his detention during an uprising in the city of Fardis near Karaj.

Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei said Iranian protesters are acting in Donald Trump's interests. Khamenei had previously stated that the US president faces potential overthrow.

The developments come as Iran faces its most significant wave of civil unrest in decades, with the US-based HRANA reporting earlier that at least 2,571 people have been killed in the nationwide protests.

Iran's judiciary chief Gholamhossein Mohseni-Ejei indicated on January 13 that authorities would conduct swift trials and executions for detained protesters.

Trump warned on January 14 that he would "take very strong action" if executions of protesters proceed and announced he was terminating negotiations with Iranian leaders in response to the death toll.