About 2,000 people have reportedly died in Iran’s ongoing protests, as U.S. President Donald Trump urged demonstrators to ‘keep protesting,’ saying help is on the way amid a violent government crackdown.
In a post on his social media platform, Truth Social, Mr Trump called on Iranians to continue their protests and take control of state institutions, while condemning what he described as the killing and abuse of protesters.
“Iranian Patriots, KEEP PROTESTING – TAKE OVER YOUR INSTITUTIONS!!! Save the names of the killers and abusers. They will pay a big price,” he wrote, adding that he had cancelled meetings with Iranian officials until the killings stop.
The remarks followed reports in US media that Mr Trump had been briefed on possible options Washington could take in response to the unrest in Iran.
An Iranian official told Reuters that around 2,000 people had been killed so far, a figure significantly higher than earlier estimates of about 600. US-based human rights group HRANA said it had verified 2,003 deaths, including 1,847 protesters and 135 people affiliated with the government. The group said nine of those killed were under 18, while another nine were non-protester civilians.
The protests, which have spread across the country, have drawn international condemnation. Iran’s ambassadors to the United Kingdom, Germany, France and the Netherlands were summoned by their host governments in protest over Tehran’s response to the demonstrations.
Germany’s Chancellor, Friedrich Merz, said Iran’s ruling system was nearing collapse, predicting the regime was in its “final weeks.” “When a regime can only maintain power through violence, then it is effectively at its end,” he said, adding that the population was rising up against its rulers.
The European Commission also signalled further action. Commission President Ursula von der Leyen said the European Union would move swiftly to propose new sanctions, describing the reported casualty figures as “horrifying.” She condemned what she called the excessive use of force and continued restrictions on freedom.
Iran has imposed a nationwide internet blackout, severely limiting information about the scale of the protests and the government’s response.
However, the Associated Press reported that Iranians were able to make phone calls abroad on Tuesday for the first time in days. Witnesses described heavy security deployments in central Tehran, with burned government buildings, smashed cash machines and largely deserted streets.
The unrest comes amid deep economic pressure in Iran, including a sharp fall in the value of the national currency, and follows last year’s 12-day war with Israel, during which the United States bombed parts of Iran’s nuclear programme.
Human rights groups have previously estimated that more than 500 people were killed and over 10,600 arrested since the protests began, though the latest figures suggest a far higher death toll.
Meanwhile, uncertainty remains over what will follow, including the possibility of further international sanctions or military action, after Mr Trump suggested the use of force could be considered to defend peaceful protesters.
