US Warns All Options on Table Regarding Iran Unrest
United Nations, New York – January 16, 2026
The United Nations Security Council chamber in New York became the stage for a high-stakes diplomatic confrontation on Thursday, January 15, as the United States issued its most severe warning yet regarding the ongoing upheaval in the Islamic Republic of Iran.
Addressing an emergency session convened at Washington’s request, U.S. Ambassador to the UN Mike Waltz declared that President Donald Trump has made it “abundantly clear” that all options, including military intervention, remain on the table to halt what he described as a “slaughter” of the Iranian people.
The session, which stretched late into the evening and continued to ripple through diplomatic circles today, January 16, highlights a world teetering on the edge of a major regional conflict.
The urgency of the meeting was underscored by horrifying reports of violence emanating from Iran, despite a near-total internet blackout that has shrouded the country since January 8.
Human rights monitors and UN officials briefed the Council on a death toll that has skyrocketed, with some NGOs reporting over 3,400 protesters killed by security forces.
The “silent” nature of the crackdown, facilitated by the communication blackout, has led to what UN Assistant Secretary-General Martha Pobee called a “fluid and deeply concerning” situation that threatens to ignite a wider regional escalation.
Escalation at the World Stage
The American Ultimatum:
Ambassador Mike Waltz dismissed Iranian claims of a “foreign plot,” asserting that the regime is “weaker than ever” and terrified of its own citizens.
He emphasized that the U.S. stands ready to act if the “killing of peaceful demonstrators” does not cease immediately.
UN Alarm:
Secretary-General António Guterres, via ASG Pobee, urged “maximum restraint,” warning that military strikes would only add “volatility to an already combustible situation.”
The UN has called for an independent investigation into all deaths and an immediate halt to the 800 reported pending executions of detainees.
G7 and EU Pressure:
In a joint statement released on January 15, the G7 nations and the European Union expressed they were “gravely concerned” and remain prepared to impose additional “restrictive measures” if the crackdown continues.
Diplomatic Deflection:
Iranian Deputy UN Ambassador Gholamhossein Darzi countered by labeling the protests a “terrorist operation” backed by external powers, accusing the U.S. of inciting violence to justify military aggression.
The atmosphere at the UN was thick with the scent of an impending storm. While Ambassador Waltz used the term “man of action” to describe President Trump’s posture, there were signs of frantic behind-the-scenes diplomacy.
Reports from the Castle Journal’s exclusive department indicate that a “Gulf trio”—comprising Saudi Arabia, Qatar, and Oman—spent the hours leading up to the meeting in intense communication with both Washington and Tehran.
Their goal:
to pull the U.S. back from the brink of kinetic strikes by securing assurances from Tehran that the planned mass executions would be halted.
Indeed, by late Thursday, President Trump adopted a slightly more “wait-and-see” posture, signaling he had been told the killings were easing.
However, the White House was quick to clarify that the movement of military assets into the region continues unabated.
The USS Abraham Lincoln carrier strike group is reportedly in position, and personnel at key U.S. bases in Kuwait and Qatar have been placed on high alert.
This “locked and loaded” rhetoric has created a paradox of leadership where the threat of force is being used as the primary tool of diplomacy.
For world leadership governance, the challenge is to intervene without becoming the very thing they oppose; to protect the “brave people of Iran” without plunging the entire Middle East into a fire that cannot be easily extinguished.
As the Security Council adjourned, the world remains in a state of suspended animation.
The closure of Iranian airspace and the evacuation of the UK embassy in Tehran—which we reported earlier—are the physical manifestations of this diplomatic deadlock.
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The Castle Journal will continue to provide secretive reports on the movements of the Board of Peace and the classified briefings held in the corridors of the UN, as the fate of a nation and the stability of a region hang in the balance.
