Deaths linked to nationwide protests in Iran have risen to more than 500, according to a U.S.-based rights group HRANA, as Tehran warned it would retaliate against U.S. military targets if Washington intervenes.
HRANA said it had verified the deaths of 490 protesters and 48 security personnel during two weeks of unrest, citing activists inside and outside Iran. More than 10,600 people have been arrested. Iranian authorities have not released an official toll, and the figures could not be independently confirmed.
The protests began on 28 December over rising prices and quickly turned into broader demonstrations against Iran’s clerical leadership, the biggest since 2022.
President Donald Trump has repeatedly warned of possible U.S. action if force is used against protesters. The Wall Street Journal reported that Trump is due to be briefed this week on options that include military strikes, cyber operations, tougher sanctions and online support for opposition groups.
Iran’s parliament speaker Mohammad Baqer Qalibaf cautioned Washington against what he called a ‘miscalculation’, saying any attack on Iran would make U.S. bases, ships and Israel legitimate targets.
Israel, which fought a 12-day war with Iran last year alongside limited U.S. strikes on Iranian nuclear sites, has raised its alert level. Israeli officials say they view the protests as an internal Iranian issue but are monitoring developments closely and are ready to respond if needed.
President Masoud Pezeshkian said Iran’s enemies were behind the unrest, accusing them of bringing in ‘terrorists’ who attacked mosques, banks and public property. He urged families to keep young people away from violence, while saying the government was ready to listen to public grievances and address economic problems.
Opposition figures abroad have urged Iranians to keep protesting. Reza Pahlavi, the exiled son of Iran’s last shah, praised what he called the courage of protesters, while Maryam Rajavi of the National Council of Resistance of Iran said demonstrators were reshaping the country’s political landscape.
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