Iran protests: 646 killed, activists say, as Trump weighs army motion

LONDON — The demise toll from main anti-government protests in Iran reached 646 as of Monday, based on information revealed by the the U.S.-based Human Rights Activists Information Company (HRANA), over 16 days of unrest.

At the very least 10,721 folks have been arrested, HRANA mentioned, in protests which have been recorded in 606 areas in 187 cities throughout all 31 Iranian provinces. Among the many lifeless are 505 protesters and 9 youngsters, the group reported.

The HRANA information depends on the work of activists inside and out of doors the nation. ABC Information can’t independently confirm these numbers. The Iranian authorities has not offered any demise tolls throughout the ongoing protests.

Iranian state-aligned media, in the meantime, has reported that greater than 100 members of the safety forces have been killed within the unrest. HRANA mentioned that 133 army and safety personnel had been amongst these killed within the protest wave so far, together with one prosecutor.

U.S. President Donald Trump on Monday introduced a 25% tariff on any nation doing enterprise with Iran, after repeatedly warning Tehran towards the usage of pressure to suppress the continuing protests.

“Efficient instantly, any Nation doing enterprise with the Islamic Republic of Iran pays a Tariff of 25% on any and all enterprise being achieved with america of America,” Trump mentioned in a social media put up on Monday. “This Order is closing and conclusive.”

In response to the announcement, Chinese language Overseas Ministry spokesperson Mao Ning mentioned the place of Beijing — which is a key buying and selling accomplice for Tehran — “may be very clear — there aren’t any winners in a tariff struggle. China will firmly safeguard its authentic rights and pursuits.”

China “helps Iran in sustaining nationwide stability,” she added. “We’ve at all times opposed interference in different international locations’ inside affairs and the use or menace of pressure in worldwide relations.”

Trump’s nationwide safety workforce are anticipated to satisfy on the White Home on Tuesday to debate his choices for intervention within the Islamic Republic.

One U.S. official instructed ABC Information that among the many choices into consideration are new sanctions towards key regime figures or towards Iran’s power or banking sectors.

White Home press secretary Karoline Leavitt urged reporters on Monday that army choices stay open to Trump.

The president, she mentioned, “is at all times preserving all of his choices on the desk and air strikes can be one of many many, many choices on the desk for the commander in chief. Diplomacy is at all times the primary possibility for the president.”

Citing “escalating” protests and elevated safety measures, the State Division additionally urged People to go away Iran.

“U.S. residents ought to count on continued web outages, plan different technique of communication, and, if secure to take action, think about departing Iran by land to Armenia or Türkiye,” a brand new safety alert posted on the U.S. “digital” Embassy Tehran web site on Monday said.

Protests have been spreading throughout the nation since late December. The primary marches passed off in downtown Tehran, with individuals demonstrating towards rising inflation and the falling worth of the nationwide foreign money, the rial. 

Because the protests unfold, some have taken on a extra explicitly anti-government tone.

The theocratic authorities in Tehran — headed by Supreme Chief Ayatollah Ali Khamenei — moved to tame the protests, with safety forces reportedly utilizing tear gasoline and stay ammunition to disperse gatherings.

A sustained nationwide web outage has been in place throughout the nation for a number of days. On-line monitoring group NetBlocks mentioned on Tuesday that the “nationwide web shutdown” had been ongoing for 108 hours.

The United Nations’ Excessive Commissioner for Human Rights Volker Turk mentioned in an announcement on Tuesday that lots of of individuals had been killed and 1000’s arrested.

Turk mentioned he was “horrified by the mounting violence towards protesters” and urged Iranian authorities to right away halt all types of violence and repression, and restore full entry to web and telecommunications.

Khamenei and high Iranian officers have mentioned they’re keen to have interaction with the financial grievances of protesters, although have framed the unrest as pushed by “rioters” and “terrorists” sponsored by overseas nations — prime amongst them the U.S. and Israel — and supported by overseas infiltrators.

On Monday, Overseas Minister Abbas Araghchi described the wave of protests as a “terrorist struggle” whereas chatting with overseas diplomats in Tehran.

Additionally on Monday, state tv broadcast footage of pro-government rallies organized in different main cities.

The footage confirmed crowds waving Iranian flags in Tehran’s Revolution Sq.. State tv described the Tehran demonstration as an “Iranian rebellion towards American-Zionist terrorism.”

Dissident figures overseas, in the meantime, have urged Iranians to take to the road and overthrow the federal government. 

Iran’s exiled Crown Prince Reza Pahlavi — who from his base within the U.S. has turn into a outstanding critic of the Iranian authorities — on Monday appealed to Trump to behave in help of the protesters.

“I’ve known as the folks to the streets to battle for his or her freedom and to overwhelm the safety forces with sheer numbers,” Pahlavi wrote on X. “Final night time they did that. Your menace to this prison regime has additionally stored the regime’s thugs at bay. However time is of the essence.”

“Please be ready to intervene to assist the folks of Iran,” Pahlavi added.

ABC Information’ Somayeh Malekian, Morgan Winsor, Meredith Deliso, Anne Flaherty, Mariam Khan, Othon Leyva, Britt Clennett and Joseph Simonetti contributed to this report.