The death toll from a crackdown on protests in Iran jumps : NPR
In this photo obtained by the Associated Press, Iranians attend an anti-government protest in Tehran, Iran, Friday, Jan. 9, 2026.
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DUBAI, United Arab Emirates — The death toll from nationwide protests in Iran surpassed 2,500, activists said, as Iranians made phone calls abroad for the first time in days Tuesday after authorities cut off communications in a crackdown on protesters.
The death toll rose to at least 2,571 early Wednesday, according to the U.S. Human Rights Activists News Agency. The figure dwarfs the toll of any other wave of protests or unrest in Iran in decades and is reminiscent of the chaos that surrounded the country’s 1979 Islamic Revolution.
Iranian state television offered the first official acknowledgment of the deaths, quoting an official as saying the country had “many martyrs.”
The protests began in late December in anger at Iran’s struggling economy and quickly targeted the theocracy, particularly 86-year-old Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei. Footage obtained by The Associated Press on Tuesday from protests in Tehran showed graffiti and chants calling for Khamenei’s death – which could result in a death sentence.
As the toll rose on Tuesday, US President Donald Trump wrote on his Truth Social platform: “Iranian Patriots, CONTINUE TO PROTEST – TAKE BACK CONTROL OF YOUR INSTITUTIONS!!! »
He added: “I have canceled all meetings with Iranian officials until the senseless killings of protesters stop. HELP IS ON THE WAY.”
However, hours later, Trump told reporters that his administration was waiting for an accurate report on the number of protesters killed before acting “accordingly.”
Trump said of Iranian security forces: “It seems to me that they behaved very badly, but that is not confirmed.”
Iranian officials once again warned Trump against any action, with Ali Larijani, secretary of Iran’s Supreme National Security Council, responding to US posturing by writing: “We declare the names of the main assassins of the Iranian people: 1- Trump 2-” Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.
In this photo obtained by the Associated Press, a sign placed on bricks reads in Farsi, “Long live the Shah,” referring to the Pahlavi dynasty that was overthrown in the 1979 Islamic Revolution, during an anti-government protest in Tehran, Iran, Friday, Jan. 9, 2026.
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Death toll peaks
The activist group said 2,403 of the dead were protesters and 147 were affiliated with the government. Twelve children were killed, along with nine civilians who authorities said were not participating in the protests. More than 18,100 people have been arrested, the group said.
It has become more difficult to assess the protests from abroad, and the AP has been unable to independently assess the toll of the protests.
Skylar Thompson of the Human Rights Activists News Agency told AP the new toll was shocking, especially since it reached four times the death toll from the months-long Mahsa Amini protests in 2022 in just two weeks.
She warned that the toll would rise further: “We are horrified, but we still think this figure is conservative.”
Speaking by phone for the first time since their calls were cut off from the outside world, Iranian witnesses described a heavy security presence in central Tehran, government buildings burned, ATMs destroyed and few passers-by. Meanwhile, people worried about what would happen next, including the possibility of an American attack.
“My clients are talking about Trump’s reaction while wondering if he is considering a military strike against the Islamic Republic,” said trader Mahmoud, who only gave his first name out of security concerns. “I don’t expect Trump or any other foreign country to care about the interests of the Iranians.”
Reza, a taxi driver who also gave just his first name, said the protests were on many people’s minds. “People – especially young people – are desperate, but they are talking about continuing the protests,” he said.
Iranians are reaching out, but the world cannot reach it
Several people in Tehran were able to call the AP on Tuesday and speak to a reporter. The AP bureau in Dubai, United Arab Emirates, was unable to return those numbers. Witnesses said text messaging was still down and Iranian internet users could connect to government-approved websites locally, but nothing abroad.
The witnesses, who requested anonymity for fear of reprisals, said police were at major intersections and plainclothes security officers were visible in public spaces. Riot police officers wore helmets and body armor while carrying batons, shields, shotguns and tear gas launchers, they said.
Several banks and government offices were burned during the unrest, witnesses said. Shops were open Tuesday, although there was little foot traffic in the capital.
In the streets, people could also be seen challenging plainclothes security officers, who stopped passers-by at random.
State television also read a statement that mortuary and morgue services were free – a sign that some likely charged high fees for releasing bodies during the crackdown.
Security personnel were apparently also on the lookout for Starlink satellite internet terminals, as residents in northern Tehran reported that authorities had raided apartment buildings equipped with satellite dishes. Although satellite dishes are illegal, many residents of the capital have them in their homes, and authorities have largely given up on enforcing the law in recent years.
Activists said on Wednesday that Starlink was offering free service in Iran.
“We can confirm that the free subscription to Starlink terminals is fully functional,” Mehdi Yahyanejad, a Los Angeles-based activist who helped introduce the units to Iran, told the Associated Press. “We tested it using a newly activated Starlink terminal in Iran.”
Starlink itself did not immediately acknowledge the decision.
