Ask Onix
Warning: This article contains descriptions of violence.
Protests defy crackdown as casualties mount
Demonstrators across Iran continued to take to the streets Saturday night despite a violent government response that has left over 100 people dead and thousands injured in the past three days, according to human rights monitors and hospital staff.
Iran's attorney general declared protesters would be treated as "enemies of God," a charge carrying the death penalty, while security forces intensified operations in cities including Tehran and Mashhad. More than 2,500 people have been arrested since demonstrations began December 28, a rights group reported.
Government response and international reactions
Iran's police chief announced on state television that authorities had "stepped up confrontation" with "rioters," attributing many fatalities to "trained and directed individuals" rather than security forces. No evidence was provided to support the claim.
US President Donald Trump warned Iran would face severe consequences if protesters were killed, tweeting Saturday that the US "stands ready to help" as Iran "is looking at FREEDOM." Iranian parliamentary speaker Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf countered that any US strike would make Israel and American bases in the region "legitimate targets."
"The USA stands ready to help!!!"
Donald Trump, via social media
Protests spread amid economic crisis
Demonstrations initially sparked by soaring inflation have expanded to over 100 cities, with crowds now demanding an end to clerical rule under Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei. Khamenei dismissed protesters as "vandals" seeking to "please" Trump.
Videos verified by BBC Verify showed clashes in Tehran's Gisha district, where masked demonstrators took cover behind barricades as security forces advanced. In Mashhad, Iran's second-largest city, footage captured a burning bus and gunfire exchanged between protesters and authorities. One clip showed an individual on a footbridge firing shots toward crowds on Vakil Abad Boulevard.
Communication blackout hampers reporting
Iran has imposed its most severe internet restrictions to date, cutting off global access and severely limiting domestic connectivity. Alireza Manafi, an internet researcher, told BBC Persian that only Starlink satellite connections remained viable, though users risked government tracing.
International media, including the BBC, cannot report from inside Iran, complicating efforts to verify casualties. BBC Persian confirmed 70 bodies were brought to a hospital in Rasht on Friday night, while a Tehran health worker reported 38 deaths at a single facility. Morgues have reportedly run out of space, and hospital staff described treating victims with fatal gunshot wounds to the head and chest.
Historical context and calls for solidarity
The current unrest marks Iran's most widespread since the 2022 uprising following the death of Mahsa Amini, a Kurdish woman detained for violating hijab laws. Over 550 people were killed and 20,000 arrested during that crackdown, according to rights groups.
Reza Pahlavi, the exiled son of Iran's last shah, urged protesters to continue demonstrating in groups for safety. In a video posted Sunday, he claimed security forces were defecting and that the regime faced a "severe shortage of mercenaries." The BBC could not independently verify these assertions.
"Know that you are not alone. Your compatriots around the world are proudly shouting your voice."
Reza Pahlavi, via X
Casualties and global condemnation
Human Rights Activists in Iran (HRANA) reported at least 78 protesters and 38 security personnel killed in the past two weeks. BBC Persian confirmed the identities of 26 victims, including six children. Amnesty International condemned the "unlawful use of lethal force," while UK Foreign Secretary Yvette Cooper called for an end to "violence or reprisals" against demonstrators.
