Protests in Iran leave 500 killed and over 10,000 arrested
Protests in Iran (Photo: Getty Images)
Over 500 people have died in the mass unrest in Iran, according to data from the human rights organization Human Rights Activists News Agency (HRANA), reports Reuters.
HRANA, based in the US and receiving information from activists inside and outside Iran, has confirmed the deaths of 490 protesters and 48 security personnel.
Human rights groups also estimate that over 10,600 people have been arrested during the protests.
Iranian authorities have not released official figures on the number of casualties.
The protests are the largest in the country since 2022. US President Donald Trump repeatedly stated that he might intervene if Iranian authorities used force against demonstrators.
How the protests in Iran began
Since late December 2025, Iran has been engulfed in massive anti-government protests, which over time escalated into violent clashes between demonstrators and security forces.
The first demonstrations took place on December 28 in Tehran. The immediate trigger was the rapid devaluation of the national currency, prompting traders from the capital’s central market to take to the streets.
According to local media, mobile phone, electronics, and household appliance sellers played a key role in the protests — sectors that rely directly on imports and foreign currency transactions. At the same time, sales are made in local currency.
Later, students and other social groups joined the demonstrations, including segments of the population previously considered loyal to the ruling authorities, which came as a surprise to Iran’s leadership.
In response, the government resorted to forceful suppression of the protests, using firearms, special equipment, physical violence, and mass arrests of participants.
It was also reported that Iran’s Crown Prince, Reza Pahlavi, appealed to citizens to intensify street protests and organize nationwide strikes, noting that such actions could paralyze the regime and lead to its collapse.
