US President Donald Trump said Tehran has offered to start talks after he threatened to strike Iran.
According to Trump, he made the threat against the backdrop of a bloody crackdown on protesters in Iran, which has killed at least 544 people.
The Associated Press reports that Trump and his national security team have discussed several options for possible retaliation against Iran, including cyberattacks and direct strikes by the United States or Israel.
Earlier, Trump said: "The military is looking at this issue, and we are looking at some very effective options."
Asked about possible retaliation by Iran, he added: "If they do that, we will hit them on a scale they have never been hit before."
Trump said his administration was in talks with Tehran to arrange a meeting, but warned that he might have to act first as the death toll in Iran continues to rise and the government continues to arrest protesters.
"Iranian leaders called yesterday to negotiate. They want to negotiate," he said.
