Trump Urges Iranians To Continue Protests, Seize Control Of Institutions

The official, who spoke on condition of anonymity, did not provide details about the identities of those killed or the circumstances surrounding their deaths.

The disclosure follows a severe, nearly two-week crackdown on nationwide protests, during which Iranian security forces have used force to suppress demonstrations.

Other sources cited by Iran International have previously put the death toll significantly higher, estimating that as many as 12,000 people may have been killed. Iranian authorities have not publicly responded to those claims.

Independent verification of casualty figures has been difficult amid restrictions on media access and widespread internet disruptions across the country.

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.

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.

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.

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.