Tehran [Iran], January 12 (ANI): At least 544 people have been killed and more than 10,681 individuals arrested and transferred to prisons amid protests in Iran, as demonstrators have taken to the streets across multiple provinces over the past 15 days in anti-government rallies driven by soaring inflation, economic hardship and mounting public anger over governance.
According to the latest data released by the Human Rights Activists News Agency (HRANA) on Sunday, protests erupted at 585 locations across the country, spanning 186 cities in all 31 provinces, underscoring the scale and intensity of the unrest now in its fifteenth day.
In the report, HRANA, which is registered in the United States of America as a non-profit noted that over the past 24 hours it had received a fresh wave of data and visual documentation, even as an internet shutdown–now in place since the thirteenth day of protests–has severely hampered independent verification and information flow.
According to HRANA’s verified figures up to January 11, 483 protesters have been killed, along with 47 members of military and law enforcement forces and one government-affiliated non-civilian.
The dead also include five non-protesting civilian citizens, while eight children under the age of 18 have been recorded among the fatalities, though they are not included in the main breakdown.
In addition to confirmed deaths, 579 other reported fatalities remain under investigation.
“Based on HRANA’s latest aggregated and verified data to date, protests have taken place at 585 locations nationwide, including 186 cities across all 31 provinces. As of this date: 47 members of military/law enforcement forces have been killed. One government-affiliated non-civilian (a prosecutor) has been killed. 483 protesters have been killed. Eight children (under 18) are recorded among the dead (not included in the above figures). Five people have been killed as non-protesting civilian citizens. Accordingly, the total number of confirmed fatalities has reached 544 so far. In addition, HRANA has received 579 other reports of deaths that remain under investigation,” the human rights group stated.
However, the Institute for the Study of War (ISW), in a post on X, said that more Iranian security personnel have been killed during the current protests than in any previous protest wave.
Citing IRGC-affiliated media, ISW said at least 114 regime security officers from the Law Enforcement Command (LEC), Basij, and Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) have been killed since protests began on December 28.
ISW noted that Esfahan province recorded the highest number of LEC and IRGC deaths at 30, followed by nine deaths in Ghazvin province.
The post added that the IRGC has been particularly active in western Iran, including the Kermanshah and West Azerbaijan provinces, and warned that the actual number of security force casualties is likely higher than officially reported.
“More Iranian security officers have died during the current protests than in any other protest wave in Iran. IRGC-affiliated media reported on January 11 that at least 114 regime security personnel from the Law Enforcement Command (LEC), Basij, and IRGC have been killed since the start of the protests on December 28,” the post added.
According to the ISW, the current wave of protests has already surpassed the 2022-2023 Mahsa Amini movement, during which over 70 regime security personnel were killed, making this the deadliest period of unrest in Iran in recent years.
Amid the massive protests across several provinces in Iran, US President Donald Trump on Sunday (local time) said that the Islamic Republic appears to be crossing a “red line” set by his administration, following the reports of the killing, prompting Washington to consider what he described as “very strong options”.
Addressing reporters onboard Air Force One, when asked whether Iran had crossed the red line he had drawn over the treatment of protesters, Trump said, “They’re starting to; it looks like.”
The US President, referring to the ongoing protests in the Islamic Republic, added that those in power were ruling through violence.
He emphasised that the situation was being closely monitored at the highest levels of the US government.
“There seem to be some people killed that aren’t supposed to be killed. These are violent – if you call them leaders, I don’t know if they’re leaders or if they just rule through violence – but we’re looking at it very seriously. The military’s looking at it. We’re looking at some very strong options; we’ll make a determination,” Trump stated.
Trump further stated that Washington may be forced to take action against Iran amid ongoing nationwide protests, even as he revealed that Tehran has reached out to Washington seeking negotiations. (ANI)