More than 500 people have been killed in Iran during protests that have continued for over two weeks, according to a U.S.-based human rights group, as international attention intensifies and regional tensions rise.
The Human Rights Activist News Agency (HRANA) reported that 490 protesters and 48 security personnel have died since demonstrations began. The group also said more than 10,670 people had been detained as of Sunday. The protests, among the largest seen in Iran in years, have taken place in more than 100 municipalities across the country.
The demonstrations initially erupted in response to rising prices and economic instability but have since expanded, with protesters increasingly calling for an end to clerical rule. Iranian authorities imposed an internet shutdown on Thursday, though HRANA said limited reports and images of demonstrations continued to emerge.
“The pattern of protests in the capital has largely taken the form of scattered, short-lived, and fluid gatherings, an approach shaped in response to the heavy presence of security forces and increased field pressure,” HRANA wrote. “At the same time, reports were received of surveillance drones flying overhead and movements by security forces around protest locations, indicating ongoing monitoring and security control.”
Independent media outlets have verified footage showing the scale of the unrest and the government response. The Associated Press confirmed video of thousands of protesters in Tehran’s northern Saadat Abad neighborhood on Friday, including a man chanting “Death to (Iran Supreme Leader) Ayatollah Ali Khamenei!” Reuters verified social media footage from Saturday showing large crowds marching, clapping, and chanting. The BBC authenticated videos depicting security forces firing on protesters in Tehran, as well as in the western province of Kermanshah and the southern Bushehr region.
Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian has blamed foreign actors for the unrest, claiming Israel and the United States were behind efforts to destabilize the country and that Iran’s enemies had brought in “terrorists.”
“Families, I ask you: do not allow your young children to join rioters and terrorists who behead people and kill others,” Pezeshkian said in a state television interview.
As the situation unfolds, U.S. media outlets report that President Donald Trump has been briefed on possible responses. Several organizations, citing an unnamed U.S. official, reported that Trump was presented with both military and nonmilitary options regarding Iran. The New York Times reported that while no final decision has been made, Trump is seriously considering authorizing a strike. CNN noted concerns within the administration that military action could undermine the protests, provoke Iranian retaliation, or rally public support behind Tehran’s leadership. Some discussions reportedly include options that do not involve direct U.S. military force.
Trump is scheduled to receive another briefing on Tuesday, according to The Wall Street Journal. The president has previously suggested the U.S. could intervene if violence escalates. During a meeting with oil executives last week, Trump said, “I tell the Iranian leaders — you better not start shooting because we’ll start shooting, too.”
“I’ve made the statement very strongly that if they start killing people like they have in the past, we will get involved,” he said. “We’ll be hitting them very hard where it hurts. And that doesn’t mean boots on the ground, but it means hitting them very, very hard where it hurts.”
Iranian officials have issued warnings in response. Parliament Speaker Mohammad Baqer Qalibaf cautioned Washington against what he described as a “miscalculation.”
“Let us be clear: in the case of an attack on Iran, the occupied territories (Israel) as well as all U.S. bases and ships will be our legitimate target,” Reuters quoted Qalibaf as saying.
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