Official figures reveal thousands dead in Iran’s violent protests; govt blames foreign influence.
Iran has reported that at least 3,117 people were killed during recent nationwide protests, which began in late December. According to the Iranian Foundation for Martyrs and Veterans, 2,427 of the deceased have been classified as “martyrs,” including security personnel. Government sources describe the unrest as violent riots orchestrated by foreign elements, particularly the United States. However, human rights organizations claim that thousands of demonstrators demanding political and social reforms were killed by direct security force fire. The protests caused extensive property damage across the country, with hundreds of government and private buildings affected. In Tehran alone, 314 government buildings were targeted, 155 burned, and dozens of banks, shops, mosques, and buses destroyed. Tehran municipal officials showed international media the destruction, including burnt buses and motorcycles, highlighting the scale of the unrest and the heavy toll on both infrastructure and lives.
