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

Mr Trump is understood to have spoken on Sunday with Kurdish leaders and is continuing to engage other regional figures who could seek to exploit what Washington views as growing weakness inside Iran. 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. He has spoken with Kurdish leaders in Iran and is continuing to engage other local figures who could exploit Tehran’s perceived weakness, officials told the Wall Street Journal. While no final decision has been made - including whether Washington would provide arms, training or intelligence - the discussions have raised the prospect of Iranian factions acting as ground forces with at least rhetorical US backing.

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White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt said Mr Trump has spoken with a number of regional partners, but did not explicitly confirm any plan to support armed groups inside Iran.

Officials stressed that the president has yet to make a final decision on the scope of any involvement, leaving open questions over how far Washington would be prepared to go.

The developments come amid heightened regional tensions following Israeli strikes on targets in western Iran, which have intensified speculation about coordinated pressure on Tehran.

Iranian officials have repeatedly warned that any foreign backing of armed factions would be viewed as direct interference, raising the risk of further escalation.

The developments follow Israeli strikes on positions in western Iran, which have fuelled speculation that military pressure could create openings for Kurdish forces along the border.

However, officials told the Wall Street Journal that Mr Trump has not yet made a final decision on whether the US would provide arms, training or intelligence support to anti-regime groups.