At least 5,000 people have been killed during Iran's protests, official says
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- Iranian official reports at least 5,000 deaths in nationwide protests.
- Official blames armed “terrorists” and foreign support for violence.
A senior Iranian official said on Sunday that authorities have verified the deaths of at least 5,000 people in the ongoing protests across the country, including around 500 members of security forces.
The official, who requested anonymity due to the sensitivity of the matter, told Reuters that some of the deadliest clashes occurred in Kurdish regions in the northwest, where Kurdish separatists are active.
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“Iranian civilians were killed by armed terrorists and rioters,” the official said, accusing “Israel and armed groups abroad” of providing support and weapons to protesters.
The official added that authorities expect the final death toll “not to rise sharply,” suggesting that the figure of 5,000 could remain largely unchanged.
The announcement marks one of the highest reported casualty figures since the protests began, highlighting both the scale of unrest and the government’s narrative framing the violence as influenced by external forces.
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No independent verification of the figures is available, and human rights groups have previously reported lower numbers, raising concerns over access to reliable information in affected regions.
