An Iranian rights monitor said the death toll from Iran’s nationwide protests has climbed past 2,000, with 1,847 of those killed identified as protesters and 135 described as government-affiliated, after more than two weeks of unrest sparked by a collapsing currency and surging inflation. The group said nine children were among the dead and that nine other civilians not participating in demonstrations were also killed.
A senior Iranian security official gave a similar casualty figure to Reuters on Tuesday, attributing much of the toll to what he called “terrorists” and noting that it includes security personnel. Iran’s government has not issued a comprehensive official nationwide death toll, and independent verification remains difficult amid severe restrictions on information flows.
The protests began on Dec. 28, when shopkeepers demonstrated over the rial’s continued plunge and runaway inflation, before spreading into broader anti-government rallies. Tehran’s Grand Bazaar, a focal point of early demonstrations, was expected to reopen Tuesday as witnesses described intensified security deployments across the capital, including anti-riot police with shields and tear-gas launchers and visible Basij presence. Witnesses also reported burned banks and damaged government facilities in some areas.
After days of an internet blackout, authorities on Tuesday allowed outbound mobile calls abroad for the first time in several days, according to accounts relayed to the Associated Press — though inbound calls into Iran appeared to remain blocked. The partial relaxation coincided with reports that security services were searching for Starlink terminals and raiding buildings with satellite dishes, as Iranians sought alternative connectivity under the blackout.
Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei praised large pro-government rallies aired on state TV, framing them as a warning to foreign adversaries. The government has also signaled harsher legal consequences for demonstrators: Iran’s attorney general has warned that those participating could be treated as “enemies of God,” a capital charge under Iran’s legal system.
Internationally, pressure escalated after U.S. President Donald Trump announced that any country doing business with Iran would face a 25% tariff on all trade with the United States, calling it an immediate measure tied to the crackdown. Reuters reported the White House has not publicly clarified the legal basis or implementation details, and major economies that trade with Tehran — including China — are assessing potential responses.
Diplomacy has not fully stopped. Iran’s Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi said communications with U.S. envoy Steve Witkoff have continued, even as U.S. officials describe a sharp gap between Tehran’s public posture and private messages.
