Tehran, Jan 18: An Iranian official confirmed at least 5,000 deaths during ongoing nationwide protests, claiming security forces targeted “terrorists and armed rioters” who killed innocent civilians.
The stark admission from Iran’s judiciary comes amid conflicting reports from human rights groups and media, with protests erupting since late December 2025 over economic woes and political repression. Internet blackouts since January 8 have hampered independent verification, but activists cite much higher tolls—HRANA documented 2,403 confirmed protester deaths by January 13, while Iran International estimated 16,500 killed and 330,000 injured.
The bloody crackdown—described as the regime’s largest massacre this century—appears to have quelled street protests for now, though tensions simmer under tight security.
