Ghoncheh Habibiazad,
Sarah Namjoo,BBC Persianand
Harry Sekulich
President Donald Trump says the US navy is contemplating “very robust choices” in Iran, as anti-government protests which have reportedly killed a whole bunch enter a 3rd week.
The US-based Human Rights Activist Information Company (HRANA) says it has verified the deaths of practically 500 protesters and 48 safety personnel in Iran, whereas sources inform the BBC the loss of life toll may very well be a lot greater.
Trump has threatened to intervene, and stated on Sunday that Iranian officers had referred to as him “to barter” – however added “we might must act earlier than a gathering”.
Iranian leaders have described the demonstrators as a “bunch of vandals”, and referred to as on their supporters to participate in pro-government marches on Monday.
The federal government has additionally introduced three days of mourning for what it referred to as “martyrs” killed in a “nationwide battle towards the US and Israel” – two international locations that Tehran says are fomenting unrest.
Anger over the plummeting worth of the Iranian forex sparked protests in late December, which have grown right into a disaster of legitimacy for Iran’s Supreme Chief, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei.
Trump has not but elaborated on what the US is contemplating by way of navy choices, nor on the proposed negotiations, regardless of saying {that a} “assembly is being arrange” with Iranian officers.
He added that Iranian leaders “wish to negotiate”, as a result of “they’re bored with being beat up by the US”.
A US official instructed the BBC’s US information companion CBS that Trump has been briefed on choices for navy strikes on Iran.
Different approaches might embrace boosting anti-government sources on-line, utilizing cyber-weapons towards Iran’s navy, or imposing extra sanctions, officers instructed the Wall Road Journal.
Sources instructed the BBC that protests continued on Sunday night time, however at a decreased degree in comparison with earlier days, as fears develop of an escalating crackdown by the Iranian authorities.
No less than 10,600 folks have been detained over the fortnight of unrest, in accordance with HRANA.
The BBC counted 180 physique luggage in footage from a morgue close to the Iranian capital, with one supply saying on Sunday that the streets of Tehran have been “stuffed with blood”.
“They’re taking away our bodies in vehicles,” the supply added.
In a single video from the location close to Tehran, about 180 shrouded or wrapped figures could be seen, the bulk mendacity out within the open. Shouts and cries of misery could be heard from individuals who seem like on the lookout for their family members.
Footage has been blurred to guard the identities of the dwelling, who might face additional persecution from the authorities.
Sources stated giant numbers of our bodies had collected at hospitals and forensic amenities, whereas some our bodies have been reportedly buried urgently earlier than daybreak by the authorities, limiting the prospect for identification.
Metropolis employees have additionally eliminated particles, burned automobiles and bloodstains from the streets in the course of the night time, a supply instructed the BBC.
A number of sources in Iran additionally stated that they’d seen drones flying persistently over crowds and residential neighbourhoods to determine and monitor protesters.
The BBC and most different worldwide information organisations are unable to report from inside Iran, and the Iranian authorities has imposed an web shutdown since Thursday, making acquiring and verifying data troublesome.
Some witnesses are counting on Starlink proxy connections or satellite tv for pc tv for data, however worry that these may very well be utilized by the authorities to hint them.
“We can’t even ship textual content messages,” one supply in southern Iran instructed the BBC, as a blanket web outage continued. “Solely the federal government is sending threatening messages to folks.”
Trump stated on Sunday that he would converse to Elon Musk, proprietor of firm SpaceX which operates Starlink, about restoring web entry to Iran.
“He is excellent at that form of factor, he is bought an excellent firm,” Trump stated.
The protests are the biggest in Iran since an rebellion in 2022, triggered by the loss of life in custody of Mahsa Amini, a younger Kurdish lady who was detained by morality police for allegedly not carrying her hijab correctly.
Khamenei has stated demonstrators have been looking for to “please” Trump, whereas Iran’s lawyer normal stated anybody protesting can be thought-about an “enemy of God” – an offence that carries the loss of life penalty.
Iran’s parliament speaker warned the US mustn’t make a “miscalculation”, including that if the US attacked Iran, each Israeli and US navy and transport centres within the area would change into reliable targets.
In the meantime, Reza Pahlavi, the exiled son of Iran’s last shah, stated in a submit on X that the protests had “shaken the foundations” of the Iranian authorities”.
He added: “The rise in gunfire towards the folks just isn’t an indication of power, however of worry – worry of collapse and an accelerated downfall.”
