At least 2,000 people have been killed in anti-government protests in Iran over an economic crisis, Iranian authorities have acknowledged for the first time the number of deaths in the violence that has raged for more than two weeks.
A government official told Reuters on Tuesday that the dead included both civilians and members of the security forces, but did not give a specific number or details about the identities of the dead. He blamed “terrorists” for the deaths.
The protests, which began on December 28, are seen as the biggest internal challenge to the Iranian government in three years. What began as protests over rising living costs and economic hardship quickly escalated into anti-government violence. International pressure on Tehran has also increased following recent tensions with Israel and the United States.
Iran’s religious leadership, which has been in power since the 1979 Islamic Revolution, has adopted a two-pronged approach to dealing with the protests. On the one hand, they acknowledge economic discontent as “justifiable,” while on the other hand, they have launched a harsh security crackdown on protesters.
The Iranian government has claimed that the United States and Israel are instigating the protests and that unidentified “terrorist” groups have turned civilian protests into violence. Earlier, international human rights organizations reported hundreds of deaths and thousands of arrests of protesters.
Since the protests began, strict controls have been imposed on internet use across the country. To bring the situation under control, internet connections have been almost completely cut off and Starlink satellite internet has also been disabled using military technology.
Video footage verified by Reuters shows security forces clashing with protesters in recent days, shooting and setting vehicles and buildings on fire.