Over 3,000 people have been reported dead in the nationwide protests in Iran by a rights group based in the United States, as the government seems to have managed to quell the demonstrations following a security crackdown and internet blackout.
As per a report by Reuters, Human Rights Activists News Agency (HRANA) reported on Saturday that it had confirmed at least 3,090 deaths, of which 2,885 were protesters. Residents contacted by Reuters have reported few protests in the past days, especially in the capital, Tehran, which has been quiet for the past four days.
Protests erupt over economic distress
The uprising kicked off on December 28, with an initial motive of economic challenges before escalating to mass protests demanding an end to clerical rule in the Islamic Republic. Over 2,000 citizens lost their lives during the violence, Reuters cited an Iranian official as reporting. It is the deadliest civil unrest within Iran since the 1979 Islamic Revolution.
Those living in the Iranian capital, Tehran, said that drones had been flying overhead, although there did not seem to be any large-scale street protests on Thursday or Friday. Another resident in a northern city, which is on the shores of the Caspian Sea, also said that all seemed normal.
Limited internet access returns
Internet monitoring group NetBlocks posted on X, writing, “Metrics show a very slight rise in internet connectivity in #Iran this morning”, after almost 200 hours of near-total shutdown. Connectivity had stayed at around 2% of normal levels, the group said. Some Iranians living abroad said they could briefly reach contacts inside the country via messaging.
Trump comments on alleged executions
The US President Donald Trump said on Twitter that Iran's leadership had ordered mass executions of protesters. Iranian authorities have not announced plans for such executions or confirmation of their cancellation.
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"We only heard stories of violent protests, and one man jumped in front of our car holding a burning baton, shouting something in the local language, with anger visible in his eyes," Reuters quoted Z Syeda, a third-year medical student at a university in Tehran, as saying.
Indian students and pilgrims who returned from Iran also said that the movements were restricted and communication with their families back home was limited. The Ministry of External Affairs of India said that it would take necessary steps so that the safety and well-being of the Indian nationals currently in Iran are assured.
