US President Donald Trump is considering the possibility of launching strikes against Iran's nuclear programme, according to American officials.

Sources revealed the president is currently weighing up both diplomatic and military approaches in his dealings with Tehran as he contemplates whether to take action aimed at preventing Iranian leaders from killing more protesters. These discussions were understood to be continuing as of Monday.

The New York Times reported that the Pentagon has presented the president with a wider range of military strike options than previously available. One US official indicated that possible targets might include Iran's nuclear facilities, which would represent an escalation beyond the US airstrikes conducted in June, alongside locations linked to the nation's ballistic missile programme.

Sources suggested that alternative responses might be more probable, including a cyberattack or a strike targeting Iran's internal security forces, which are allegedly employing lethal force against demonstrators.

Any military action would not be immediate and is anticipated to be at least several days away, with officials cautioning that Iran could respond with substantial retaliation.

White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt confirmed that airstrikes were "one of the many, many options that are on the table," whilst stressing that "diplomacy is always the first option for the president."

Earlier this week, the U.S. State Department issued a sweeping Iran Security Alert. The alert highlighted escalating protests, internet blackouts and travel disruptions as significant threats to U.S. citizens, urging them to exit the country immediately if safe.

Trump has been issuing warnings since 2 January that he would strike Iran if its government harmed protesters, stating in a Truth Social post: "We are locked and loaded and ready to go."

On Monday, the president also declared that any nation trading with Iran would face a 25 percent tariff on all commerce conducted with the United States. "This Order is final and conclusive," the president affirmed.