Donald Trump is open to supporting armed militia groups in Iran, according to reports citing US officials. The US president is willing to back factions prepared to take up arms against Tehran’s regime, the Wall Street Journal reported, as pressure mounts on the country’s leadership.

Mr Trump spoke on Sunday with Kurdish leaders and is continuing to engage other regional figures, officials told the newspaper. The Kurds maintain a sizeable force along the Iraq-Iran border, and their proximity to western Iran has fuelled speculation they could play a role in any effort to challenge Tehran’s authority. US officials cited by the Wall Street Journal said the outreach forms part of discussions about supporting groups willing to overthrow the regime, though no final decision has been made. The newspaper said no determination has been reached on whether Washington would move beyond talks, including supplying weapons, training or intelligence to anti-regime factions.

It added that any such step could see Iranian groups operate as ground forces with at least verbal backing from the United States.

In a statement, White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt confirmed Mr Trump has held discussions with a number of regional partners, but stopped short of outlining any specific objective.

With Kurdish forces positioned along the Iraq-Iran frontier, attention has focused on whether shifting military dynamics could alter calculations on the ground.

Officials familiar with the discussions told the Wall Street Journal that conversations are continuing, emphasising that no formal commitment has been authorised.

The moves unfold against a backdrop of rising regional strain, as the US and its allies monitor Tehran’s reaction to mounting internal challenges and recent military action.

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Iranian state media confirmed that Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, who had led the Islamic Republic since 1989, was killed in the opening salvo of the US-Israeli military campaign.

His death – announced by Tehran after initial reports from both Washington and Jerusalem – marks a dramatic shift in Iran’s leadership amid the broader conflict, with Iranian officials declaring a period of public mourning.

According to the Wall Street Journal, Axios was first to report Mr Trump’s most recent call with Kurdish leaders.

People familiar with the matter told the newspaper that while contacts have taken place, Washington has not authorised any concrete step beyond dialogue.

The discussions have unfolded against this backdrop of escalating military action. The first wave of strikes has been referred to as Operation Epic Fury by the United States, while Israel has described its campaign as Operation Roaring Lion.

Both operations form part of the latest rise in hostilities involving Tehran and its regional adversaries.