More than 500 people have been killed in Iran amid protests that have been going on for more than two weeks now. The U.S.-based Human Rights Activist News Agency reported that 490 protesters and 48 security personnel died in the unrest.
More than 10,670 were detained as of Sunday as well.
These are some of the largest demonstrations seen in the country in years, taking place in more than 100 municipalities across Iran. At first a response to rising prices and economic instability, people are now demanding an end to clerical rule.
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Iranian officials imposed an internet shutdown Thursday. Still, Human Rights Activist News Agency wrote that limited reports and images were still able to emerge of demonstrations.
“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.”
A video verified by The Associated Press showed footage of thousands of protestors in northern Tehran’s Saadat Abad area on Friday, with a man chanting “Death to (Iran Supreme Leader) Ayatollah Ali Khamenei!” On Saturday, footage posted on social media and verified by Reuters showed large crowds marching, clapping and chanting.
The BBC authenticated videos showing the government cracking down on protests, with security officers shooting at groups of protesters in Tehran, in the western Kermanshah province and the southern Bushehr region.
Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian claimed that Israel and the U.S. were masterminding destabilisation, 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,” he said in a state TV interview.
Trump reportedly briefed on options in Iran
Several news outlets citing an unnamed U.S. official, including The New York Times, CBS News, NBC News and CNN, reported that U.S. President Donald Trump was recently briefed on options for Iran — one of them being military strikes.
The NYT wrote that Trump hasn’t made a final decision, but officials said he was seriously considering authorizing a strike. Still, CNN wrote that there’s concerns among the administration that these strikes could end up undermining protests, lead Iran to retaliate — or even get the Iranian people to support the government. The outlet added that some of the talks include options that do not directly involve U.S. military force.
Trump is scheduled to be briefed again on Tuesday, The Wall Street Journal wrote.
The president previously indicated the U.S. would intervene in the situation. 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 Parliament Speaker Mohammad Baqer Qalibaf warned Washington against “a miscalculation” during a TV interview.
“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.
