Last Updated on January 14, 2026 12:10 am by INDIAN AWAAZ
AMN/ WEB DESK
Thousands of people are feared dead after a crackdown on anti-government protests in Iran. Quoting an Iranian security official, a news agency reported that the death toll could be around 2,000 people. The unrest, sparked by dire economic conditions, has been the biggest internal challenge to Iranian authorities for at least three years and comes amid intensifying international pressure after Israeli and U.S. strikes last year. Iranian authorities have accused the U.S. and Israel of fomenting unrest. They alleged that terrorists have hijacked the protests.
A human rights group had previously identified hundreds of people killed and said that thousands had been arrested. Videos of clashes between demonstrators and security forces over the past week have shown violent confrontations with gunfire and burning cars and buildings. Communications restrictions, including an internet blackout over recent days, have hampered the flow of information. Meanwhile, Iranian prosecutors have filed the first charges against demonstrators detained during the unrest gripping the country, the state media reported today.
Meanwhile, Iranian foreign minister Abbas Araghchi has said that Iran is prepared for any action by the US as President Donald Trump weighs his options for intervention. Araghchi said Iran’s readiness is much greater than it was when the US conducted military strikes on Iran in June last year. Earlier, US President Donald Trump was briefed on a wide range of covert and military tools for use in Iran, which include long-range missile strikes and cyber operations.