Sergei Shoigu, secretary of Russia’s Security Council, has condemned what he described as external attempts to interfere in Iran’s internal affairs during a phone call with Ali Larijani, secretary of Iran’s Supreme National Security Council.
According to Interfax, Russia’s Security Council said Shoigu also expressed sympathy with Iran over the killing of a large number of citizens amid the unrest.
The statement said Shoigu reaffirmed Moscow’s readiness to expand bilateral cooperation under the Comprehensive Strategic Partnership Agreement between Russia and Iran.
Russia did not name any specific country. The remarks come after Donald Trump said the United States would intervene if the Islamic Republic uses lethal force against protesters.
Iran and Russia are widely regarded as close political partners on a range of regional and international issues.
The editorial board of Iran International Network said in a statement that the Islamic Republic has killed at least 12,000 people during nationwide protests in Iran, vowing that the scale of the violence would not be silenced.
In a statement issued Tuesday, the network said that in recent days it had received scattered but “shocking and disturbing” reports about the crackdown. It said it then undertook extensive efforts, including professional fact-checking, to reach what it described as a more accurate assessment of the scale of the violence and killings during the recent protests.
Iran International said information obtained from the Supreme National Security Council of Iran and the presidential office indicates that the killings were carried out on the direct order of Ali Khamenei, with the explicit knowledge and approval of the heads of all three branches of government.
According to the statement, the information also indicates that the Supreme National Security Council issued an order authorising the use of live ammunition against protesters.
The Iranian authorities have not publicly confirmed the figures cited by Iran International. The Islamic Republic of Iran has repeatedly rejected allegations of widespread unlawful killings during the protests.
The International Federation of Journalists (IFJ) has condemned the fifth consecutive day of a nationwide internet shutdown in Iran, denouncing the blackout and the suspension of independent media as a deliberate assault on press freedom and the public’s right to information.
In a statement posted on its X account on Monday, the IFJ said that as the situation in Iran continues to deteriorate, journalists are being forced into silence because of the internet blackout and the resulting inability of independent media outlets to operate.
The IFJ said the shutdown has severely restricted journalists’ ability to report and has cut the public off from reliable information at a critical time.
NetBlocks, a global internet monitoring organisation, said on Monday, January 12, that the outage in Iran had exceeded 84 hours, with nationwide user connectivity remaining at just 1 percent of normal levels.
Iran’s foreign minister said Monday that the Islamic Republic is prepared both for war and for negotiations, responding to recent threats by US President Donald Trump amid escalating tensions and nationwide protests.
Abbas Araghchi said Iran is not seeking conflict but is fully prepared to defend itself. “The Islamic Republic of Iran is not seeking war, but it is fully prepared for war,” he said.
Speaking at a meeting attended by foreign ambassadors based in Tehran, Araghchi added that Iran remains open to diplomacy. “We are also ready for negotiations, but these talks must be fair, conducted on equal footing and based on mutual respect,” he said.
His remarks came after Donald Trump said Tehran was seeking dialogue with Washington and repeatedly warned of possible US military intervention.
Araghchi said nationwide protests in Iran had turned “violent and bloody” in recent days, claiming the unrest was being exploited to create a pretext for foreign intervention. He acknowledged that the level of violence had increased over the weekend.
Earlier, HRANA, a US-based Iranian human rights organisation, reported that at least 538 protesters had been killed since demonstrations began. Iranian authorities have not confirmed those figures.
The foreign minister blamed the bloodshed on Trump’s warnings of military action, saying they had provided a pretext for what he described as “terrorists” to attack both protesters and security forces in an effort to pave the way for foreign intervention.
Araghchi also claimed that Iranian authorities possess video footage showing weapons being distributed among protesters, though he provided no evidence to support the allegation. He said confessions by detainees would be released soon and that officials are “closely monitoring” developments on the streets.
However, videos circulating on social media show security forces firing at demonstrators, and witnesses say many protesters were killed by live ammunition.
As a nationwide internet shutdown continues and Trump has repeatedly threatened intervention, protests have entered their third week and remain widespread across Iran.
The Iranian government has declared three days of public mourning for members of the security forces killed during the unrest. The Tasnim news agency reported on Sunday that 109 security personnel had died.
Officials have not released an official toll for civilian deaths. Opposition activists abroad say the number of protesters killed is significantly higher and includes hundreds of demonstrators. The ongoing internet blackout has made independent verification of casualty figures difficult.
The United States is expected to carry out military strikes against Iran “in the coming weeks”, sources familiar with the matter told Iran International.
The sources said on Sunday, January 11, that large quantities of US military equipment have been transferred to the Middle East over the past week, with further deployments expected in the coming days.
According to the sources, Israel would take part in any such operation only after US action and only if the Islamic Republic attacks Israel or if there are clear indications of an imminent Iranian strike.
Donald Trump has repeatedly raised the prospect of intervention in Iran in recent days and has warned Iranian authorities against using force to suppress anti-government protests.
On January 10, Trump wrote on his Truth Social platform: “Iran is looking at FREEDOM, perhaps like never before. The USA stands ready to help!”
Earlier, Reuters, citing three Israeli sources, reported that Israel had been placed on high alert as Iran faces its largest anti-government protests in years and amid growing speculation about possible US intervention.
Reuters also reported that Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and US Secretary of State Marco Rubio spoke by phone on January 10, with the possibility of US intervention in Iran said to be the main focus of the conversation.
Neither Washington nor Tehran has officially commented on the reports. Tensions between the United States, Iran and Israel have risen sharply amid the protests and longstanding disputes over Iran’s nuclear programme and regional activities.
Israel has been placed on a heightened state of alert as Iran faces its largest anti-government protests in years and amid the possibility of US intervention, Reuters reported, citing three Israeli sources.
According to the report published on Sunday, January 11, the sources, who attended Israeli security meetings in recent days, did not specify the reason for the increased level of readiness.
Donald Trump has repeatedly raised the prospect of US intervention in Iran in recent days and warned Islamic Republic officials against violently suppressing protesters.
On January 10, Trump wrote on his Truth Social platform: “Iran is looking at FREEDOM, perhaps like never before. The USA stands ready to help!”
Protests erupted across Iran following a call by Reza Pahlavi on the evening of January 8. Shortly after demonstrations began, Iranian authorities imposed a nationwide internet shutdown.
Netanyahu, Rubio Discuss Iran
Reuters also reported, citing an Israeli official, that Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and US Secretary of State Marco Rubio spoke by phone on January 10.
According to the report, the possibility of US intervention in Iran was the main focus of the conversation. A US official confirmed the call but declined to provide further details.
Despite the expanding protests, Israel has so far shown no indication that it intends to intervene directly in Iran.
Tensions between the two countries remain high, driven largely by Israel’s concerns over Iran’s nuclear and missile programmes, which Israeli officials have long described as a major security threat.