At least 538 people have died during Iran’s nationwide anti-government protests, according to a U.S.-based human rights group, as unrest moves into its third week and tensions with the United States intensify.
The Human Rights Activists News Agency (HRANA) said Sunday that 490 of those killed were protesters and 48 were members of the security forces. The group also reported more than 10,670 arrests, adding that the true numbers may be higher as it continues to verify incoming reports.
The Associated Press said it could not independently confirm the figures because a nationwide internet blackout—now lasting more than 60 hours—has sharply limited access to information from inside the country. Iranian authorities have not released official casualty figures.
Why It Matters
Protests driven by Iran’s deepening economic crisis have spread across the country, marking two weeks of unrest over the weekend and growing into one of the most serious challenges to Iran’s leadership since the 1979 Islamic Revolution.
The turmoil is unfolding as Tehran is still dealing with the fallout from last summer’s brief but destructive war with Israel, which weakened parts of Iran’s air defense network after U.S. strikes on nuclear sites.
What to Know
Former President Donald Trump referenced the protests in a post on Truth Social on Saturday, writing that Iran is “looking at FREEDOM” and saying the United States was prepared to help.
Iranian officials, meanwhile, have accused the United States of encouraging the unrest, portraying demonstrators as violent rioters and terrorists. Iran’s парламент speaker said Sunday that if the U.S. attacked Iran, American military bases and assets across the region would be considered “legitimate targets.”
Authorities cut off internet access Thursday, and other communications have also been disrupted. NetBlocks, which tracks connectivity, reported late Saturday (U.S. time) that the shutdown had passed 60 hours, leaving users with roughly 1 percent of normal access.
HRANA said the blackout has “significantly limited” the ability of observers outside Iran to verify reports, adding that demonstrations took place in nearly 100 cities on Thursday.
Iran’s prosecutor general, Mohammad Movahedi Azad, said Saturday that protesters would be treated as “enemies of God,” a charge that can carry the death penalty under Iranian law. The Iranian military said in a separate statement that it would “firmly safeguard national interests, strategic infrastructure, and public property.”
Trump also warned Iranian authorities against using force to suppress the protests, saying Friday: “You better not start shooting because we’ll start shooting too.”
According to The Wall Street Journal, officials around Trump have discussed potential U.S. military options if the situation escalates. The report said one option considered was a large-scale airstrike on multiple military targets, though another unnamed official said no decision had been made.
The New York Times reported that Trump has also been presented with an option to strike non-military sites in Iran.
On Friday, Trump said: “If they start killing people like they have in the past, we will get involved,” adding: “We’ll be hitting them very hard where it hurts.”
Reza Pahlavi, the exiled son of Iran’s last shah, urged demonstrators to “not abandon the streets,” and in a statement posted on X said Trump had expressed readiness to help.
Elsewhere, a protester reportedly tore down an Iranian flag outside Iran’s embassy in London on Saturday. British Foreign Secretary Yvette Cooper said Saturday that speaking out in an authoritarian system takes “real courage,” particularly for young women, and that people should not need courage simply to be heard.
What People Are Saying
Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian, in remarks carried by state media on Saturday, said: “Believing that the Islamic Republic of Iran is like other countries, the U.S. is pursuing the same measures by encouraging certain individuals to create chaos and riots.”
The U.S. State Department posted on X on Saturday: “Do not play games with President Trump. When he says he’ll do something, he means it.”
Republican Senator Lindsey Graham of South Carolina wrote on X: “To all who are sacrificing in Iran, God bless. Help is on the way.”
What Happens Next
It remains unclear how long the protests—and the internet shutdown—will continue. The scope of the demonstrations, combined with an intensifying crackdown, is drawing international concern and increasing scrutiny on Tehran as the unrest persists.
