About 2,000 people have been killed in Iran's nationwide protests, an Iranian official told Reuters on Tuesday, marking the first time authorities have acknowledged such a high death toll since unrest erupted more than two weeks ago. The figure includes protesters and members of the security forces, though officials did not provide a breakdown.
The unnamed official blamed what authorities describe as terrorists for the deaths, accusing them of hijacking demonstrations that began over the collapse of the national currency. The protests have since broadened into some of the most serious challenges to Iran's clerical leadership in years, fueled by deepening economic hardship.
The turmoil comes as international pressure on Tehran intensifies. United States President Donald Trump announced 25 percent tariffs on goods from any country doing business with Iran and warned that further military action remains an option.
Rights groups say the real toll may be far higher than the official estimate, citing hundreds of confirmed deaths and more than 10,000 arrests. Despite the scale of the unrest, analysts note there are still no clear signs of fractures within Iran's powerful security establishment...