DUBAI — Nearly 2,000 people, including members of the security forces, have been killed during two weeks of nationwide protests in Iran, an Iranian official said Tuesday, marking the first time authorities have publicly acknowledged such a high death toll amid an intense government crackdown.
Speaking to Reuters on condition of anonymity, the official said those described by the government as “terrorists” were responsible for the deaths of both protesters and security personnel. No detailed breakdown of the casualties was provided.
The unrest, driven largely by worsening economic conditions, represents Iran’s most serious internal challenge in at least three years. It comes as the country faces heightened international pressure following Israeli and U.S. strikes last year.
Iran’s clerical leadership, in power since the 1979 Islamic Revolution, has taken a dual approach to the demonstrations recognizing protests over economic grievances as legitimate while simultaneously enforcing a heavy security response. Authorities have repeatedly accused the United States and Israel of fomenting unrest, alleging that unnamed groups they label as terrorists have hijacked the protests.
Independent rights groups have previously reported that hundreds of people were killed during the demonstrations and that thousands more were arrested, figures that authorities had not confirmed until now.
The flow of information from Iran has been severely restricted by communications controls, including an internet blackout imposed in recent days.
Despite these restrictions, videos circulating online over the past week, several of which were verified by Reuters, have shown violent nighttime clashes between demonstrators and security forces, including scenes of gunfire as well as burning vehicles and buildings.
The situation remains volatile as protests continue and international scrutiny intensifies.
Edgardo Hernal started college at UP Diliman and received his BA in Economics from San Sebastian College, Manila, and Masters in Information Systems Management from Keller Graduate School of Management of DeVry University in Oak Brook, IL. He has 25 years of copy editing and management experience at Thomson West, a subsidiary of Thomson Reuters.
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