Anti-government protests against economic hardship have spread uncontrollably across Iran, with at least 35 people, including children, reported dead, according to a U.S.-based human rights group. The situation has worsened as Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei designates protesters as “thugs” and opens fire, increasing casualties, amid warnings from U.S. President Donald Trump that he is “prepared to intervene” if there is a “harsh crackdown.”
The U.S.-based Human Rights Activists News Agency (HRANA) announced on the 5th that the death toll from protests inside Iran has reached at least 35. The deceased include 29 protesters, four children, and two Iranian security forces members. Over 1,200 people have been arrested and detained by authorities since the protests began on the 28th of last month. HRANA explained that the ongoing protests, which have continued for over a week, have spread to 27 out of Iran’s 31 provinces and over 250 regions.