According to the Human Rights Activists News Agency (HRANA), which collects data from activists inside and outside the country, the fatalities include 490 protesters and 48 security personnel amid two weeks of unrest that began in late December 2025. In that period, more than 10,600 people have been arrested in connection with the demonstrations.
The protests, initially sparked by economic grievances including soaring prices and the sharp decline of the Iranian rial, have rapidly evolved into widespread demands for political change, with demonstrators openly criticising the country's clerical leadership.
The Iranian government has not released its own casualty figures, and international agencies have been unable to independently verify the rights group's totals. Tehran has imposed a near-total internet blackout, complicating external reporting on the scale of violence and human rights abuses.
State media and official channels have sought to frame the unrest as the work of 'terrorists' and foreign agents, with senior Iranian officials accusing the United States and Israel of fomenting trouble. In response to mounting tensions, Iranian parliament speaker Mohammad Baqer Qalibaf warned that any military strike on Iran would result in retaliation against U.S. and allied targets in the region.
"Let us be clear: in the case of an attack on Iran, the occupied territories (Israel) as well as all U.S. bases and ships will be our legitimate target," said Qalibaf, a former commander in Iran's elite Revolutionary Guards.
Meanwhile, U.S. President Donald Trump and his administration are reportedly reviewing a wide range of responses to the crisis, including military options, cyber operations, expanded sanctions, and support to help restore internet access for protestors.
As protests continue in cities across Iran, the nation remains in a state of heightened tension, with growing calls for political reform and accountability, even as the authorities threaten severe reprisals against dissenters.
Rania Umutoni
Source : https://en.igihe.com/news/article/deaths-in-iran-protests-surpass-500-rights-group-says
