Iran has issued a stern warning to the United States against any military action over the widespread protests shaking the country, as former President Donald Trump considers possible responses from Washington.
The unrest has reportedly claimed hundreds of lives.
The US-based Human Rights Activists News Agency reported that at least 538 people have died during the demonstrations, including 490 protesters, and more than 10,600 individuals have been arrested by Iranian authorities.
Meanwhile, the Norway-based Iran Human Rights group said on Sunday that at least 192 protesters had been killed.
The discrepancy in casualty figures reflects the difficulty rights groups face in reaching people inside Iran amid the ongoing internet blackout.
The Iranian regime has not released its own statistics, and independent verification remains impossible.
Authorities have intensified their crackdown as the protests enter a second week. Rights groups warned that the death toll is likely to rise further due to the communications blackout.
The escalating violence has raised the prospect of US intervention. Trump has vowed to “rescue” protesters if the Iranian government kills them, reiterating his threat on Saturday night: “Iran is looking at FREEDOM, perhaps like never before. The USA stands ready to help!!!” he posted on the Truth Social platform.
According to the Wall Street Journal, Trump was set to be briefed on Tuesday about a range of potential measures, including military strikes, cyber operations, expanded sanctions, and online assistance to anti-government sources.
In response, Iranian officials warned of retaliation.
Mohammad-Bagher Ghalibaf, the speaker of parliament, declared: “In the event of an attack on Iran, both the occupied territory and all American military centres, bases and ships in the region will be our legitimate targets.”
Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian accused the US and Israel of orchestrating the unrest, claiming they had introduced “terrorists” attacking public property.
He urged families: “Do not allow your young children to join rioters and terrorists who behead people and kill others,” during a televised interview, signaling a hardening stance toward the demonstrations.
State media reported that the government declared three days of national mourning for “martyrs,” including security personnel killed during the protests.
Pezeshkian also called on citizens to participate in a “national resistance march” on Monday to denounce what the authorities describe as “urban terrorist criminals.”
The current protests represent Iran’s most significant unrest in years. Initially triggered by a sharp devaluation of the national currency, the demonstrations have grown to include demands for political reform and calls for the government’s downfall. Analysts note that the unrest is fueled by an economic crisis and the aftermath of Iran’s summer conflict with Israel.
Key figures in the protest movement have been arrested, according to national police chief Ahmad-Reza Radan.
“Last night, significant arrests were made of the main elements in the riots, who, God willing, will be punished after going through legal procedures,” he said, without specifying numbers. Iran’s attorney general had previously warned that anyone caught protesting, or aiding protesters—could face charges as an “enemy of God,” punishable by death.
Trump’s threats found support among US lawmakers. Senator Lindsey Graham posted on social media, “Iranians’ long nightmare is soon coming to a close.”
Meanwhile, Israeli officials remained on high alert, reportedly avoiding public statements to prevent the Iranian government from framing the protests as foreign-backed.
The authorities cut internet access on Thursday, creating an almost total communications blackout. Rights groups say the shutdown has facilitated the crackdown, with security forces using live ammunition to disperse crowds.
Videos from Tehran and other cities show thousands protesting despite the crackdown.
In Mashhad, the birthplace of Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei, demonstrators faced police, set roadblocks, and lit fires.
Reza Pahlavi, the exiled son of the former shah of Iran, has called for continued protests, instructing people to take to main streets in large numbers and promising, “soon be by your side.”
Human rights organizations report that, while precise documentation is nearly impossible due to the blackout, deaths among protesters appear to be rising.
The Center for Human Rights in Iran said it had received credible witness reports of hundreds killed in recent days.
Messages from activists using Starlink satellite internet describe a harsh reality. In Sari, security forces reportedly imposed martial law, stopping all vehicles and threatening to shoot anyone outside.
An Iranian activist described fleeing a protest in Tehran after security forces opened fire on men, women, and children.
Videos verified by the Hengaw human rights group show bodies of protesters allegedly killed by authorities in a warehouse near Tehran’s Kahrizak area, reportedly used as an overflow facility due to overcrowded morgues. Iranian state media blamed the deaths on protesters themselves.
