Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei has, for the first time, publicly acknowledged that thousands of people were killed during recent nationwide protests, some in what he described as a “savage and inhuman manner”.
Speaking on Saturday, Khamenei blamed the United States for the deaths, accusing Washington of fuelling unrest in the country.
Death Toll Disputed Amid Internet Blackout
Human rights groups say the actual number of fatalities remains unclear due to a near-total internet shutdown across Iran. The US-based Human Rights Activists News Agency (HRANA) estimates that at least 3,090 people have died, while other activist groups claim the toll could be significantly higher.
According to cyber-monitor NetBlocks, internet connectivity across Iran was operating at just around 2% of normal levels on Saturday, making independent verification of events on the ground extremely difficult.
The protests began on December 28, initially driven by economic grievances, but quickly escalated into calls for an end to Khamenei’s rule. Iranian authorities have dismissed the demonstrations as “riots” orchestrated by foreign enemies.
US-Iran Tensions Escalate Over Protest Crackdown
The unrest has further strained relations between Tehran and Washington. US President Donald Trump recently urged Iranian demonstrators to “keep protesting” and warned of possible military action if security forces continued killing civilians.
Khamenei, in turn, labelled Trump a “criminal”, insisting the US must be “held accountable” for the unrest. He also claimed on social media that America’s objective was to “swallow Iran”.
The US State Department said it had received reports that Iran was considering options to target American military bases, warning Tehran that any attack would be met with “very, very powerful force”.
Trump said earlier this week he had been told that the killings in Iran had stopped, though he did not rule out military intervention. His remarks came after the US and UK reduced personnel at the Al-Udeid air base in Qatar, with officials calling it a precautionary move.
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