Iranian government officials revealed that the death toll from violent protests that have lasted over two weeks may be as high as 2,000, while blaming terrorists as the cause of the fatalities.
On Tuesday, 13 Jan 2026 GMT+7, Reuters reported citing an Iranian official that violent protests spreading across the Middle Eastern country over the past two weeks have resulted in approximately 2,000 deaths amid government crackdowns on gatherings.
The Iranian official told Reuters that “terrorists” are behind the deaths of both protesters and security forces, though he did not disclose the proportion of fatalities from each group.
Meanwhile, the U.S.-based human rights group HRANA reported that as of late Monday, 10,721 people had been arrested, while opposition groups outside Iran believe the actual death toll far exceeds 2,000.
The unrest, triggered by deteriorating economic conditions, represents the greatest challenge to the Iranian government in three years and comes amid escalating international pressure following airstrikes by Israel and the U.S. against Iran last year.
On Monday evening, U.S. President Donald Trump announced a 25% import tax on goods from any country that trades with Iran, a major oil exporter. Trump also said additional military measures are among options he is considering to punish Iran for suppressing protesters.
Iran has not officially responded to Trump’s tariff announcement, but China quickly condemned the measures. Iran exports most of its oil to China, as well as key partners such as Turkey, Iraq, the United Arab Emirates, and India.
The Iranian government is managing the protests with a dual approach: acknowledging the legitimacy of economic grievances while simultaneously carrying out harsh crackdowns.
“The government views both security forces and protesters as our own people. We have tried and will continue to try our best to listen to their voices, even though some groups try to exploit the protests for their own benefit,” government spokesperson Fatemeh Mohajerani said on Tuesday.
Iranian authorities accuse the U.S. and Israel of instigating unrest, alongside unidentified individuals labeled as “terrorists,” claiming this group has hijacked the protests as a tool.
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Source:cna