Politics

At least 5,000 individuals have died during protests in Iran, including around 500 security personnel, according to an Iranian official in the region who spoke on Sunday. He provided verified figures and blamed "terrorists and armed rioters" for the deaths of "innocent Iranians." The protests began on December 28, driven by economic struggles, and quickly escalated into widespread calls for an end to clerical rule, marking the most severe unrest since the 1979 Islamic revolution. U.S. President Donald Trump has warned that he might intervene if protesters continue to be killed or executed. In a post on social media on Friday, he expressed gratitude to Tehran's leaders for canceling planned mass executions. On Saturday, Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei stated, "We will not drag the country into war, but we will not allow domestic or international criminals to escape punishment," as reported by state media. On Sunday, the judiciary suggested that executions might proceed. Iranian judiciary spokesperson Asghar Jahangir announced at a press conference that "a series of actions have been identified as Mohareb," which falls under severe Islamic punishments. Mohareb, meaning to wage war against God, carries the death penalty under Iranian law. In an interview with Politico on Saturday, Trump remarked that "it’s time to look for new leadership in Iran." Khamenei, Iran's highest authority, claimed that the country's long-time adversaries, the U.S. and Israel, were behind the violence, admitting to "several thousand deaths." The U.S.-based HRANA rights group reported on Saturday that the death toll had reached 3,308, with an additional 4,382 cases still being reviewed. The group also confirmed over 24,000 arrests.