According to the US-based Human Rights Activists News Agency, which has a reliable track record on Iran, at least 538 people have been killed during the ongoing nationwide protests, with the true number feared to be higher. The group also documented over 10,600 detentions in the past two weeks. Widespread internet shutdowns, severed phone lines, and blocked international calls have made independent verification extremely difficult, raising concerns that the information blackout is emboldening hardline security forces to intensify repression.
The demonstrations began on December 28, triggered by the Iranian rial’s collapse to over 1.4 million against the US dollar amid crushing international sanctions tied to the nuclear program. What started as economic grievances quickly escalated into open calls challenging the Islamic Republic’s theocratic rule under Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei. On Sunday, scattered protests continued in Tehran’s Punak neighbourhood, Mashhad, and Kerman, with smuggled footage—likely sent via Starlink—showing protesters waving lit mobile phones, setting off fireworks, and confronting security forces despite heavy surveillance drones and street closures.
Iranian authorities sharply escalated their rhetoric. Parliamentary Speaker Mohammad Baagher Qalibaf warned that any US or Israeli attack would make American military bases, ships, and Israel itself “legitimate targets,” hinting at possible preemptive strikes. Hardline officials compared some protesters to ISIS, while state television aired funerals of slain security personnel and showed images of body bags and morgues. Reformist President Masoud Pezeshkian, who had initially sought dialogue, took a tougher line, insisting that preventing “rioters” from destroying society is the higher duty.
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US President Donald Trump voiced strong support for the protesters on social media, stating that Iran is on the verge of unprecedented “FREEDOM” and that the United States stands ready to help. Reports indicate Trump’s national security team is actively considering a wide range of responses, including cyberattacks and direct military strikes by the US or Israel. The White House has not confirmed any final decisions, with ongoing large-scale US military deployments in the Caribbean adding strategic complexity to any potential action.
Exiled Crown Prince Reza Pahlavi urged continued street demonstrations, while some protesters have been heard chanting in support of the pre-1979 monarchy. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu praised the “tremendous heroism” of Iranian citizens, and Pope Leo XIV called for dialogue and peace. With Iran’s air defenses severely damaged in the June war with Israel and ultimate war authority resting with the 86-year-old Supreme Leader, the risk of regional escalation remains alarmingly high as the protests enter their most critical phase.
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