Nationwide protests in Iran have led to a severe and deadly crackdown, with activists reporting at least 538 people killed and more than 10,600 detained. The situation escalated on Sunday as Iranian hard-liners issued a stark warning, declaring that U.S. military assets and Israel would become "legitimate targets" if America intervenes to protect demonstrators.
A Rising Death Toll Amid Information Blackout
According to the U.S.-based Human Rights Activists News Agency (HRANA), the casualty figures from the two-week-long unrest are staggering. The agency, which relies on a network of sources within Iran to crosscheck information, stated that of the 538 confirmed dead, 490 were protesters and 48 were members of the security forces. The Iranian government has not provided any official overall casualty numbers.
The assessment of the ground situation has grown increasingly difficult for international observers. A near-total internet shutdown and severed phone lines inside Iran have created an information blackout. This communications vacuum has raised fears among those abroad that hard-line elements within Iran's security apparatus are being emboldened to carry out an even bloodier suppression of dissent.
Despite the heavy security presence, protesters returned to the streets of Tehran and Mashhad, Iran's capital and second-largest city, on Sunday morning. Videos smuggled out of the country, likely via Starlink satellite systems, showed gatherings in Tehran's Punak neighbourhood, where people waved lit mobile phones and banged metal objects.
International Reactions and Warnings of War
The crisis has drawn sharp international reactions. U.S. President Donald Trump voiced support for the protesters on social media, stating, "Iran is looking at FREEDOM, perhaps like never before. The USA stands ready to help!!!" Reports suggest the Trump administration is considering a range of potential responses, including cyberattacks and direct military strikes, though no decisions have been announced.
In a fiery speech to parliament, hard-line speaker Mohammad Baagher Qalibaf directly threatened retaliation. "In the event of an attack on Iran, both the occupied territory [Israel] and all American military centres, bases and ships in the region will be our legitimate targets," he declared. Lawmakers echoed his sentiment, rushing the dais and chanting, "Death to America!"
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, a long-time critic of Iran, stated that "the people of Israel, the entire world, are in awe of the tremendous heroism of the citizens of Iran." An Israeli official confirmed the country is "watching closely." Meanwhile, Pope Leo XIV expressed hope for dialogue and peace, and UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres called on Iranian authorities to show restraint.
Domestic Rhetoric Hardens as Protests Continue
Within Iran, the official narrative has intensified. Top security official Ali Larijani accused some demonstrators of actions "very similar to what ISIS does." State television aired funerals for slain security personnel and reported additional deaths in provinces like Kermanshah and Fars.
Significantly, even reformist President Masoud Pezeshkian, who had previously sought to calm tensions, adopted a firmer tone in a Sunday interview. While acknowledging people's concerns, he emphasized that "the higher duty is not to allow a group of rioters to come and destroy the entire society."
The protests, which began on December 28, were initially triggered by the collapse of the Iranian rial and a worsening economy crippled by international sanctions. However, they have since evolved into a broader challenge against the country's theocratic establishment. With the death toll rising and threats flying between Tehran and Washington, the standoff shows no signs of abating.
