Death Toll in Iran Protests Reaches Alarming 538, Activists Say as Internet and Phone Lines Remain Shut Down
The Iranian government's crackdown on nationwide protests has resulted in a staggering death toll of at least 538 people, according to activists who rely on activists on the ground for information. The figure is expected to rise further as more cases come to light.
Among those killed were 490 protesters and 48 members of the security forces, with reports suggesting that even higher numbers are likely. However, Iran's government has not provided an official death toll, leaving it up to human rights groups like the U.S.-based Human Rights Activists News Agency (HRANA) to report on the situation.
The Iranian authorities' internet and phone services remain shut down, making it increasingly difficult for international observers to monitor the protests. The HRANA agency has confirmed that over 10,600 people have been detained as part of the crackdown.
In a speech at the Iranian parliament, speaker Mohammad Bagher Qalibaf warned the United States and Israel that they would be "legitimate targets" if Iran were to strike back in response to any military action. The threat was met with applause from lawmakers, who also shouted "Death to America!"
The situation remains volatile, with demonstrations continuing across the country despite security efforts to quell them. The protests, which began on December 28, started over economic issues but quickly turned into calls for regime change.
In an interview, Iran's President Masoud Pezeshkian offered a hardening tone on the issue, saying that his duty was not to allow "a group of rioters" to destroy society. Even reformist figures like Pahlavi have come under criticism for their perceived support of Israel.
The international community has been watching the situation closely, with the Vatican's Pope Leo XIV expressing hope for dialogue and peace in Iran. The U.S. military has stated that it is "postured with forces that span the full range of combat capability" to defend its interests in the region.
However, tensions remain high between the United States, Israel, and Iran, which could escalate into a wider conflict at any moment. With over 3,280 others arrested and claims of even more deaths still being assessed, the situation is increasingly dire for the Iranian people.
The Iranian government's crackdown on nationwide protests has resulted in a staggering death toll of at least 538 people, according to activists who rely on activists on the ground for information. The figure is expected to rise further as more cases come to light.
Among those killed were 490 protesters and 48 members of the security forces, with reports suggesting that even higher numbers are likely. However, Iran's government has not provided an official death toll, leaving it up to human rights groups like the U.S.-based Human Rights Activists News Agency (HRANA) to report on the situation.
The Iranian authorities' internet and phone services remain shut down, making it increasingly difficult for international observers to monitor the protests. The HRANA agency has confirmed that over 10,600 people have been detained as part of the crackdown.
In a speech at the Iranian parliament, speaker Mohammad Bagher Qalibaf warned the United States and Israel that they would be "legitimate targets" if Iran were to strike back in response to any military action. The threat was met with applause from lawmakers, who also shouted "Death to America!"
The situation remains volatile, with demonstrations continuing across the country despite security efforts to quell them. The protests, which began on December 28, started over economic issues but quickly turned into calls for regime change.
In an interview, Iran's President Masoud Pezeshkian offered a hardening tone on the issue, saying that his duty was not to allow "a group of rioters" to destroy society. Even reformist figures like Pahlavi have come under criticism for their perceived support of Israel.
The international community has been watching the situation closely, with the Vatican's Pope Leo XIV expressing hope for dialogue and peace in Iran. The U.S. military has stated that it is "postured with forces that span the full range of combat capability" to defend its interests in the region.
However, tensions remain high between the United States, Israel, and Iran, which could escalate into a wider conflict at any moment. With over 3,280 others arrested and claims of even more deaths still being assessed, the situation is increasingly dire for the Iranian people.
my heart goes out to all those innocent ppl in iran who r losin their lives 
, it's just not right that they hav to protest 4 economic issues 2 b silenced & hurt 
, the intl community shd b doin more 2 help them 
, we cud b learn from each other & try 2 find peaceful solutions 
, not all protests r about regime change, sometimes it's just about bein heard 
it's like a nightmare that won't end they're still shutting down internet and phone lines making it hard to get info out what's going on there it's like they don't want anyone knowing about the treatment of these people 
i feel bad for them, hope some world leaders will take action soon 
538 people have lost their lives in these protests, that's insane! I'm really worried about the activists on the ground who are risking their lives to report back to us. The internet and phone lines being shut down is like a digital lockdown, it's so unfair. 
We need to keep an eye on this situation and hope for peaceful resolution soon. The fact that Iran's president is saying "Death to America!" is super concerning, let's not escalate things further. 
. It's disconcerting that internet and phone services remain shut down, limiting our ability to monitor the situation and hold the government accountable 
.
. It's essential that we recognize the legitimacy of peaceful protests and refrain from using language that escalates the situation.
. The situation remains precarious, with reports suggesting that even more deaths have occurred 
.
. We need to be supporting these protesters and calling for peaceful resolutions, not just hoping for dialogue and peace.
. Like, how can one country just keep killing its own people like that? 
. And the fact that they're shutting down internet and phone lines is super scary 
. I mean, who gets to decide what info you can or can't have? 
He sounds so hard and unemotional about the whole thing 
. Like, don't people just deserve some love and compassion after something like this happens 
? 
. I get it, they're friends with Iran or whatever, but can't we talk about this stuff more in a way that's not so dramatic and hate-filled? 
I'm not sure what's going on behind closed doors, but I know it can't be good. And that speech by Speaker Qalibaf? Really? Threatening the US and Israel over this is just going to escalate things and make everyone more scared 
What's needed here is dialogue and understanding, not aggression 
. But then again, if the protesters were just peaceful activists trying to express their grievances, shouldn't they have been able to do that without resorting to violence? 
I don't know, it feels like this is all so... complicated 
But here are some crazy stats:
Meanwhile, the US military has 3,280 ppl already deployed to defend its interests 
. And with tensions between the US, Israel, and Iran at an all-time high, we could be heading for a big conflict 
.
. Maybe one day we'll see real change happen there... but until then, the situation is super dire for the Iranian ppl 
like seriously 538 ppl dead? that's insane! i mean i knew it was bad but this is on another level what are we gonna do to stop this cycle of violence 
and whats with these lawmakers cheering for "death to america" is this some kinda joke 
the internet and phone lines shut down is like they're trying to suffocate them 
dont @ me. but seriously tho, its sad that internet & phone lines are down so ppl can't even report what's happenin. hope everythin calms down soon