Name: Iran official says 2,000 killed in nationwide unrest
Uploaded: 2026-01-14T02:35:48.713Z
Duration: 2 min 4 s
Description: Around 2,000 people including security personnel have been killed in protests in Iran, an Iranian official said, the first time authorities have acknowledged the high death toll from an intense crackdown on two weeks of nationwide unrest.

Around 2,000 people including security personnel have been killed in protests in Iran, an Iranian official said, the first time authorities have acknowledged the high death toll from an intense crackdown on two weeks of nationwide unrest.

Tehran

An Iranian official has stated that approximately 2,000 people, including security personnel, have been killed during two weeks of nationwide protests. This is the first time Iranian authorities have acknowledged such a high death toll from the unrest, which was sparked by economic grievances and has become the most significant internal challenge to the country's clerical leadership in years.

The United Nations has accused Iran of brutal repression and condemned the labeling of protesters as terrorists. The Iranian government claims it is addressing legitimate economic concerns while confronting what it calls rioters. Meanwhile, the U.S. has imposed new tariffs on countries doing business with Iran and warned of possible military action in response to the crackdown.

Iran official says 2,000 killed in nationwide unrest

About 2,000 people, including security personnel, have been killed in protests in Iran. That's according to an Iranian official on Tuesday. It's the first time authorities have acknowledged the high death toll from an intense crackdown on two weeks of nationwide unrest. The official speaking to Reuters said that people he called terrorists were behind the deaths of both protesters and security personnel. The official, who declined to be named, did not give a breakdown of who had been killed. We are horrified by the mounting violence directed by security forces of protesters across Iran. A spokesperson for the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights on Tuesday accused Tehran of responding to protests with brutal repression. The killing of peaceful demonstrators must stop. The labeling of protesters as terrorists to justify violence against them is unacceptable. The unrest, sparked by dire economic conditions, has posed the biggest internal challenge to Iran's clerical rulers for at least three years. The government has tried to balance its response, signaling a desire to meet what it calls demonstrators' legitimate economic complaints, while promising to confront those it calls rioters. Foreign Minister Abbas Araqchi on Tuesday said law enforcement had complete control of the situation and blamed the U.S. and Israel for fomenting the violence. Araqchi claimed deaths over the weekend were a continuation of a 12-day war last year, where Israel and Iran traded airstrikes, and U.S. jets bombed Iranian nuclear sites. On Monday evening, U.S. President Donald Trump announced 25 percent import tariffs on products from any country doing business with Iran, a major oil exporter. Trump has said more military action is among options he is weighing to punish Iran over the crackdown. If they start killing people like they have in the past, I think they're going to get hit very hard by the United States. An Iranian foreign ministry spokesperson on Tuesday said communication lines with the U.S. remained open.

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