The recent wave of protests that swept across Iran has taken a devastating toll, with a U.S.-based activist agency verifying at least 3,766 deaths during the unrest. This staggering figure surpasses the casualty rates of any other protest or unrest in Iran over the past decade, drawing parallels to the chaos surrounding the 1979 revolution.
The Human Rights Activists News Agency (HRANA) has been meticulously documenting the fatalities, relying on a network of activists inside the country to confirm each reported death. This latest revised toll represents a significant increase from the previous count of 3,308 fatalities.
The scale of the crackdown has drawn international condemnation, with Iranian Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei acknowledging that the protests have left “several thousand” people dead. Khamenei has blamed the United States for the loss of life, a claim rejected by U.S. President Donald Trump, who has called for an end to Khamenei’s nearly 40-year reign.
Tensions between Iran and the United States have been high, with Trump repeatedly threatening Tehran with military action if the Islamic Republic used deadly force against anti-government protesters. However, the U.S. president later struck a more conciliatory tone, praising Iranian authorities for reportedly cancelling the executions of over 800 detained protesters.
The crackdown has also resulted in the arrest of 24,348 protesters, according to HRANA. Iranian officials have accused the U.S. and Israel of fomenting the unrest, a claim denied by the protesters, who have cited long-standing economic grievances and the impact of “inhumane sanctions” imposed by the U.S. and its allies.
The streets of Iran have returned to an uneasy calm in recent days, with authorities continuing to restrict internet access and block some online services. However, the emotional scars of the protests remain, with some Iranians chanting anti-Khamenei slogans from the windows of their homes, a testament to the deep divisions within the country.
As the international community grapples with the aftermath of the protests, the staggering death toll serves as a sobering reminder of the human cost of the ongoing unrest in Iran.
