Iran Protests Persist As Concern Grows Over Mounting Death Toll

Iranian protests appeared to persist in localized pockets overnight as an activist group warned of imminent executions by the state and said the civilian death toll from the unrest could be in the thousands.

The Oslo-based Iran Human Rights group said at least 648 people had died in the protests by Monday, while estimating the toll could be as high as 6,000. The group warned the “risk of mass and extrajudicial executions of protesters is extremely serious.”

In one video that’s been verified by the BBC as coming from a mortuary on the outskirts of Tehran, at least 180 bodies can be seen. The US-based Human Rights Activists News Agency reported that more than 10,700 people had been detained in connection with protests by Monday, and put the death toll at 646. 

Concern about the scale of fatalities is mounting as US President Donald Trump moved to further isolate the Islamic Republic over the violence, saying Monday he’s imposing a 25% tariff on goods from countries “doing business” with Iran. The move followed reports that Iran’s Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi reached out to Steve Witkoff, the US special envoy to the Middle East, about a potential meeting in the coming days.

German Chancellor Friedrich Merz predicted that the Islamic Republic is in its “final days” and “effectively finished” after the two weeks of nationwide upheaval against Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei’s regime, according to comments on Tuesday during a visit to India.

Iran’s government hasn’t given any figures for civilian deaths and the state broadcaster, which has an effective monopoly on domestic news services, has repeated official claims that “terrorists and rioters” killed scores of security forces amid a continued internet blackout.

A video purportedly from downtown Tehran, near the city’s Enghelab Square, which has hosted pro-government rallies, appeared to show hundreds of protesters chanting against Khamenei overnight. Another video showed protesters gathering in Tehran’s main cemetery on Monday, chanting slogans.

Unrest across Iran intensified sharply from Thursday through the weekend, drawing hundreds of thousands to the streets, calling for the downfall of Khamenei. Despite a sweeping crackdown and state-organized rallies challenging the unrest, it remains unclear how long the calm claimed by authorities will hold, while the underlying drivers of the protests remain unresolved.

On Tuesday, foreign exchange tracking websites showed the rial trading at around 1.45 million to the US dollar, roughly the same level that initially sparked protests among traders in Tehran on Dec. 28. Soaring inflation has made it increasingly difficult for millions of Iranians to afford basic food items, and a $7 handout to households is unlikely to ease living costs.

The NetBlocks group, which monitors global internet connectivity, said Tuesday that a nationwide internet shutdown in Iran had entered its fifth day, cutting off millions from global online services. Reports said some citizens were able to make international calls as of Tuesday morning.

Trump has called on Starlink — which some Iranians already use, despite it being banned in the country — to help restore communication.

Connecting Iran to the internet via Elon Musk’s service won’t be easy. Owning a Starlink terminal is illegal, so equipment would have to be smuggled in. The military is also working to jam Starlink and is hunting down any users, according to Amir Rashidi, director of digital rights and security at Internet human rights group Miaan Group. 

An unspecified number of protesters have been taken to court and charged with “moharabeh” — or taking up arms in order to cause fear — which under Iran’s Islamic penal code carries the death penalty, the semi-official Tasnim news reported on Tuesday, citing Tehran’s chief prosecutor. 

In a brief video statement on Tuesday, Reza Pahlavi, the son of Iran’s former Shah, urged workers in the telecommunications industry, without elaboration, to “target” the country’s information infrastructure to restore international internet access.