Human rights groups report that over 10,000 have been arrested since the protests began two weeks ago
President Donald Trump is contemplating responses, including potential military strikes, as Iran’s crackdown on anti-government protestors has reportedly killed more than 500 people.
Human rights groups report that over 10,000 have been arrested since the protests began two weeks ago. The unrest started due to high inflation and the Iranian currency’s crash.
Trump has publicly said he would take action if protestors are killed. In response, Iranian Parliament Speaker Mohammad Baqer Qalibaf warned that if the US uses force, Israel and American bases would be “legitimate targets.”
The ongoing near-total internet blackout in the country is making it difficult for journalists and humanitarian agencies to corroborate or assess the extent of violence.
Iran’s President Masoud Pezeshkian accused the US of instigating the unrest, describing it as one of the largest protest movements in the country’s 47-year history.
Meanwhile, Reza Pahlavi, the exiled son of Iran’s late shah Mohammad Reza Pahlavi, has called on the protestors to keep marching. Reza lives in the US.
Solidarity marches are happening in France, Germany, and the UK.