Death Toll in Iran Protests Continue to Rise as Calm Returns in Some Cities
IRAN – The death toll in Iran protests continue to rise, with the latest number being 65 as of Saturday Jan. 10.
The protests took place in 512 locations in 180 cities in all 31 provinces, resulting in the deaths of 50 protesters, 14 law enforcement and security officials, and one government-affiliated civilian.
Demonstrations also left dozens injured and 2,311 detained.
The injuries were largely caused by pellet shots and plastic bullets, according to local reports.
Iran has witnessed waves of protests since late December, largely due to a steep decline in the value of the Iranian rial and deteriorating economic conditions.
The demonstrations started Dec. 28 near Tehran’s Grand Bazaar and later expanded to several cities.
US President Donald Trump said Friday that Iran is “in big trouble” as protests spread, saying the US is closely monitoring developments and he warned authorities against using lethal force.
Iran has accused the US and Israel of fomenting the unrest, with officials warning that security forces and the judiciary “will show no tolerance whatsoever toward saboteurs.”
Calm Returns in Some Cities
As of Saturday, some cities had started to witness some calm, according to the Iran’s Law Enforcement Command (FARAJA) spokesperson Saeed Montazer al-Mahdi.
According to local correspondents, the calm begun on Friday night.
At least 3 police officers were killed on Friday night, as armed groups were also reported to be destroying private properties in several provinces.
Several other police officers were killed on Thursday by an armed group who opened fire using Kalashnikov rifles in Tehran.
According to local reports, majority of violence is being instigated by armed assailants, targeting both civilians and police, and vandalizing property across Iran.
