Iran protests death toll surpasses 5,000 amid brutal crackdown
A human rights monitoring group based in the United States reports that Iran's nationwide protests have claimed at least 5,002 lives, marking the deadliest challenge to Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei's nearly four-decade rule. The unrest, sparked by the collapse of the rial and soaring living costs on December 28, evolved into widespread anti-regime fury before security forces unleashed live ammunition to quell it. Iranian authorities acknowledged 3,117 deaths in their first official tally this week, but rights organizations caution the true figure could climb much higher, with a UN special rapporteur citing medical reports that suggest civilian fatalities may exceed 20,000.
Communication blackouts have shrouded the full scale of the violence, with Iran enforcing its most sweeping internet shutdown since January 8, cutting off 92 million people from online services, calls, and texts. Internet watchdog NetBlocks noted the blackout surpassed 330 hours by Thursday, a measure aimed at concealing the crackdown. Government spokespeople indicate international websites won't reconnect until late March at earliest, hinting at preparations for prolonged standoffs, while analysts warn of a shift toward permanent digital isolation limited to state-vetted users.
Arrests have topped 26,500 according to the monitoring group, with Iran's judiciary chief vowing swift trials and harsh penalties, and national police head General Ahmad Reza Radan offering leniency to those surrendering within three days. Defiance endures despite the toll: mourners at protester Alireza Khaledi's January 19 funeral in Lordegan chanted against Khamenei. The regime's elite silence beyond former President Mohammad Khatami adds to its vulnerabilities.
Escalating U.S.-Iran tensions compound the crisis. President Donald Trump branded Khamenei a "sick man" who must stop the killings and called for new leadership, prompting General Abolfazl Shekarchi's retort that any aggression against the supreme leader would ignite their world. The USS Abraham Lincoln carrier group shifted from the Indo-Pacific to the Middle East, which Trump hailed as a massive deterrent, as Revolutionary Guards commander General Mohammad Pakpour declared his forces ready to fire.
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