Monday, 12 January, 2026
The death toll from Iran’s crackdown on nationwide protests rose to at least 538 people on Sunday, according to activists, amid an intensifying security response and an ongoing communications blackout.
The US-based Human Rights Activists News Agency (HRANA) said more than 10,600 people have been detained during nearly two weeks of unrest. Of those killed, 490 were protesters and 48 members of the security forces, it said, warning that the toll was likely to increase.
With internet access largely shut down and international phone lines cut, verifying events on the ground has become increasingly difficult. HRANA said it was relying on a network of activists inside Iran who cross-check information — a method it says has produced accurate figures during previous periods of unrest.
Iranian authorities have not released any overall casualty figures. Reuters and the Associated Press said they were unable to independently verify the death toll, citing restrictions on communications.
The protests, the largest since 2022, began on 28 December over soaring prices before broadening into a challenge to Iran’s clerical leadership, which has ruled since the 1979 Islamic Revolution. Authorities have accused the United States and Israel of fomenting unrest.
State television broadcast footage on Sunday showing dozens of body bags at Tehran’s coroner’s office, saying the dead were victims of violence caused by “armed terrorists”.
Despite the blackout, videos posted on social media showed large crowds marching at night in Tehran, chanting and clapping. Footage from the northeastern city of Mashhad appeared to show fires burning in the streets, debris scattered across roads and the sound of explosions. Reuters verified the locations of the videos.
As tensions rose, US President Donald Trump reiterated his support for protesters, saying Washington stood “ready to help”. The Wall Street Journal reported that Trump was due to be briefed on options including tighter sanctions, cyber operations and possible military action.
Iran’s parliament speaker, Mohammad Baqer Qalibaf, warned Washington against what he called “a miscalculation”, saying any attack on Iran would make US bases and Israel legitimate targets.
Israeli officials said Israel was on high alert but stressed the protests were an internal Iranian matter, while monitoring developments closely.
Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian, speaking in a televised interview, accused Israel and the US of orchestrating the unrest and bringing in “terrorists”. He urged families to keep young people away from violence, while saying the government was prepared to listen to public grievances and address economic problems.
Analysts said the protests were unlikely to topple Iran’s leadership in the short term but could leave the establishment weakened. “It is more likely the state eventually suppresses the unrest, but emerges from it significantly diminished,” said Alan Eyre, a former US diplomat and Iran expert.
State media reported funerals across several cities for members of the security forces killed during the unrest, including ceremonies in Isfahan, Gachsaran and Yasuj.
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The death toll from Iran’s crackdown on nationwide protests rose to at least 538 people on Sunday, according to activists, amid an intensifying security response and an ongoing communications blackout.
The US-based Human Rights Activists News Agency (HRANA) said more than 10,600 people have been detained during nearly two weeks of unrest. Of those killed, 490 were protesters and 48 members of the security forces, it said, warning that the toll was likely to increase.
With internet access largely shut down and international phone lines cut, verifying events on the ground has become increasingly difficult. HRANA said it was relying on a network of activists inside Iran who cross-check information — a method it says has produced accurate figures during previous periods of unrest.
Iranian authorities have not released any overall casualty figures. Reuters and the Associated Press said they were unable to independently verify the death toll, citing restrictions on communications.
The protests, the largest since 2022, began on 28 December over soaring prices before broadening into a challenge to Iran’s clerical leadership, which has ruled since the 1979 Islamic Revolution. Authorities have accused the United States and Israel of fomenting unrest.
State television broadcast footage on Sunday showing dozens of body bags at Tehran’s coroner’s office, saying the dead were victims of violence caused by “armed terrorists”.
Despite the blackout, videos posted on social media showed large crowds marching at night in Tehran, chanting and clapping. Footage from the northeastern city of Mashhad appeared to show fires burning in the streets, debris scattered across roads and the sound of explosions. Reuters verified the locations of the videos.
As tensions rose, US President Donald Trump reiterated his support for protesters, saying Washington stood “ready to help”. The Wall Street Journal reported that Trump was due to be briefed on options including tighter sanctions, cyber operations and possible military action.
Iran’s parliament speaker, Mohammad Baqer Qalibaf, warned Washington against what he called “a miscalculation”, saying any attack on Iran would make US bases and Israel legitimate targets.
Israeli officials said Israel was on high alert but stressed the protests were an internal Iranian matter, while monitoring developments closely.
Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian, speaking in a televised interview, accused Israel and the US of orchestrating the unrest and bringing in “terrorists”. He urged families to keep young people away from violence, while saying the government was prepared to listen to public grievances and address economic problems.
Analysts said the protests were unlikely to topple Iran’s leadership in the short term but could leave the establishment weakened. “It is more likely the state eventually suppresses the unrest, but emerges from it significantly diminished,” said Alan Eyre, a former US diplomat and Iran expert.
State media reported funerals across several cities for members of the security forces killed during the unrest, including ceremonies in Isfahan, Gachsaran and Yasuj.
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