The death toll from nationwide anti-government protests in Iran has risen to at least 2,000 people, a U.S.-based human rights group said on Tuesday, as pressure on Tehran intensified from abroad.
The Human Rights Activists News Agency (HRANA) said it had documented 1,847 protesters killed during more than two weeks of unrest, along with 135 members of Iran’s security forces or government-affiliated personnel. The group also reported the deaths of nine children and nine civilians it said were not taking part in demonstrations.
HRANA, which relies on a network of sources inside Iran to verify reports, has previously provided figures cited by international media during periods of unrest. Amu TV was not able to independently verify the toll, and Iranian authorities have not released comprehensive casualty figures.
Internet access has been largely cut across Iran since last week, making it difficult to assess the scale of the protests or the government’s response.
The unrest, triggered by economic grievances, has evolved into one of the most serious challenges to Iran’s clerical leadership in recent years.
U.S. President Donald Trump said on Monday that Washington would impose a 25% tariff on imports from countries that do business with Iran, and added that the United States was considering further measures, including possible military action, in response to the crackdown.
Iran has not officially responded to the tariff announcement. China criticised the move, while Iran — already under extensive U.S. sanctions — exports most of its oil to China and maintains trade ties with countries including Turkey, Iraq, the United Arab Emirates and India.
German Chancellor Friedrich Merz said he believed Iran’s leadership was in its “final days or weeks,” arguing that a government forced to rely on escalating violence to stay in power was nearing collapse. He did not elaborate on the basis for his assessment.
Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi rejected the remarks, accusing Berlin of applying “double standards.”
Despite the scale of the protests and growing international pressure, Reuters has reported that there are so far no clear signs of a major split within Iran’s security elite, which has underpinned the Islamic Republic since the 1979 revolution.
