Daijiworld Media Network - Tehran
Tehran, Jan 11: At least 116 people have been killed in violence linked to nationwide protests challenging Iran’s theocratic leadership, as demonstrations entered their second week on Sunday, according to reports.
The US-based Human Rights Activists News Agency said more than 2,600 people have been arrested across the country, citing verified information. With internet services restricted and phone lines cut in many areas, the actual scale of the protests and casualties remains difficult to assess.
Iranian state television has largely focused on casualties among security personnel and projected an image of control, while avoiding references to protesters killed during the unrest. Protesters have increasingly been described as “terrorists” in official broadcasts, reports said.
Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei has signalled an impending crackdown, despite warnings from the United States. Iran’s Attorney General Mohammad Movahedi Azad warned that those participating in protests would be treated as “enemies of God”, a charge that can attract the death penalty.
A statement aired on state television said the designation would also apply to those who “helped rioters”, adding that prosecutors should move swiftly to issue indictments and pursue trials “without leniency, compassion or indulgence”.
USA ready to help, says Trump
Meanwhile, US President Donald Trump has been briefed on fresh options for possible military strikes against Iran as he considers a response to Tehran’s crackdown, according to multiple US officials. While no final decision has been taken, officials said Trump is seriously weighing action in response to the suppression of protests driven by economic distress.
Options presented reportedly include strikes on non-military targets in Tehran, sources told the New York Times on condition of anonymity.
“Iran is looking at FREEDOM, perhaps like never before. The USA stands ready to help!!!” Trump said in a post on Truth Social.
Trump has repeatedly warned of using force if the Iranian government continues killing protesters. “If they start killing people like they have in the past, we will get involved,” he said earlier. “We’ll be hitting them very hard where it hurts. That doesn’t mean boots on the ground.”
The protests began on December 28 following the sharp collapse of the Iranian rial, which is trading at over 1.4 million to the US dollar amid tightening international sanctions, partly linked to Iran’s nuclear programme.
What began as demonstrations over economic hardship has since escalated into direct calls challenging Iran’s theocratic system, officials and observers said.