Unprecedented Rise in Death Toll from Iran Protests
Reports from independent human rights organizations indicate that the death toll from the ongoing protests across Iran has risen to over 2,500. This comes as Iranian authorities eased communications restrictions for the first time in 17 days, amidst continued anti-government demonstrations fueled by deteriorating living conditions and the economic crisis.
This development coincides with escalating clashes between protesters and security forces, and the expansion of protests to encompass an increasing number of Iranian cities and provinces.
Official Acknowledgment of Deaths
On Tuesday, Iranian state television broadcast a report containing the first official acknowledgment of deaths during the protests. An Iranian official stated that approximately 2,000 people, including members of the security forces, have been killed since the unrest began.
The television station also aired an official statement regarding free services at funeral homes and morgues, a move observers interpreted as an implicit response to complaints about exorbitant fees charged for the release of bodies during the period of confrontations between protesters and security forces. Scenes from Tehran After Easing of Restrictions
In their first phone calls since the near-total communications blackout, eyewitnesses in the capital, Tehran, reported a heavy security presence in the city center, damaged government buildings, smashed ATMs, and a noticeable decrease in pedestrian traffic.
The witnesses, in statements reported by the Associated Press, expressed growing concern about developments in the coming phase, including fears of a potential external escalation, given the rising tensions between Tehran and Washington.
Photos obtained by the agency also showed graffiti and slogans on walls in Tehran criticizing the country's top leadership, practices considered among the most serious forms of dissent within the Iranian regime and which could face severe penalties.
Varied Figures… and the Death Toll Rises
The independent Iranian Human Rights Activists News Agency (HRANA), based in the United States, reported that the death toll had reached at least 2,571 by early Wednesday morning, as the protests entered their seventeenth day.
According to the agency, the victims included 2,403 protesters, 147 individuals linked to the government, 12 minors under the age of 18, and nine civilians not involved in the protests. It also reported the arrest of more than 18,100 people.
Skyler Thompson of HRANA told the Associated Press that these figures were “shocking,” noting that they were four times the death toll from the 2022 protests that erupted after the death of Mahsa Amini, and warning that the number was likely to rise.
In contrast, the Oslo-based organization Human Rights in Iran (IHRNGO) estimated the death toll at at least 734 protesters, including children and women, and confirmed that thousands were injured across the country.
Unconfirmed reports have cited much higher figures, while the Associated Press emphasized the difficulty of independently verifying the actual toll due to restrictions on media and communications.
Security Deployment and Ongoing Digital Restrictions
Eyewitnesses reported that text messaging services remained down and that internet access was limited to local, government-approved sites, with no access to external websites.
They also noted the presence of plainclothes security personnel in public places, a heavy deployment of riot police at major intersections, and random searches of pedestrians.
Residents in northern Tehran reported raids targeting residential buildings suspected of housing satellite internet receivers, while an American organization announced that its Starlink service was now available free of charge in Iran.
International Reactions and Escalating Political Rhetoric
Internationally, US President Donald Trump urged Iranians to continue their protests, calling for the documentation of those responsible for the abuses and indicating that “help is on the way,” without specifying its nature.
In response, Iranian officials warned Washington against any intervention and directly accused the United States and Israel of being responsible for the events, marking a significant escalation in political rhetoric.
The Most Serious Internal Crisis in Years
These protests, sparked by economic decline and rising living costs, represent one of the most serious internal challenges facing Iranian authorities in years, coinciding with mounting international pressure and complex regional tensions.
Observers believe that the course of events in the coming days will be crucial, both in terms of the authorities' ability to contain the crisis and its political and security repercussions, both domestically and internationally.
