Protests continued in several major Iranian cities on Tuesday, amid an unprecedented escalation of unrest. An Iranian official told Reuters that nearly 2,000 people have been killed since the protests began, including members of the security forces—a toll reflecting the gravity of the situation and the deepening internal crisis.
These developments come as several countries, most notably the United States, urged their citizens to leave Iran immediately, fearing further deterioration in security given the widening scope of the protests and the lack of any clear signs of their imminent containment.
The US State Department called on American citizens, particularly those with dual US-Iranian citizenship, to leave Iran urgently, warning of serious risks including interrogation, arrest, and detention. Washington also advised its citizens to travel by land to neighboring countries such as Armenia and Turkey, or to Azerbaijan in emergencies.
Other countries, including Sweden, Australia, Poland, and India, joined this call, indicating growing international concern about the safety of foreigners inside Iran. Sources told AFP that a number of non-essential diplomatic staff at the French embassy had left the country in recent hours.
On the technical front, mobile phones in Iran have begun gradually regaining the ability to make international calls after days of disruption. However, internet service remains almost completely blocked since January 8, according to the NGO NetBlocks, further isolating the country and restricting the flow of information.
In contrast to the limited official figures, the Norway-based organization Iran Human Rights announced that the death toll among protesters has reached at least 648 since the start of the protests, warning that the number is likely to rise as clashes continue and the crackdown intensifies.
Politically, Iran affirmed that it is keeping communication channels open with the United States. However, the American escalation has not ceased. Late Monday evening, US President Donald Trump announced that any country continuing to trade with Iran will face new tariffs of 25 percent on its exports to the United States.
In a social media post, Trump stated that this decision is “final and irrevocable,” without clarifying the legal basis for it or whether it will encompass all of Tehran’s trading partners. Iran, already subject to stringent US sanctions, exports most of its oil to China, in addition to significant trade relations with countries such as Turkey, Iraq, the UAE, and India.
In a warning tone, Trump threatened military action if Iranian security forces fire on protesters, indicating that the United States might meet with Iranian officials and that he is in contact with members of the Iranian opposition.
For her part, White House spokeswoman Caroline Leavitt affirmed that diplomacy remains the first option for the US administration, but clarified that the president is considering other alternatives, including airstrikes, should the situation escalate.
In Tehran, Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araqchi stated that his country is studying proposals presented by Washington, even though they “do not align” with US threats. He also confirmed that Iran has not yet announced an official death toll, including members of the security forces.
Iranian authorities blamed the United States for the bloodshed, accusing what they described as “terrorists supported by Israel and America” of being behind the violence. Araqchi noted that 53 mosques and 180 ambulances have been burned since the protests began, while asserting that the situation is “completely under control.”
According to local sources, the spark for these protests lies in the sharp rise in prices and the worsening living conditions, which have increased pressure on citizens and ignited a wave of social anger whose repercussions remain open to all possibilities.
