Iran’s Supreme Leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, has for the first time publicly acknowledged that thousands of people were killed during recent nationwide protests, describing some of the deaths as having occurred in an “inhuman, savage manner.”
Speaking in a televised address on Saturday, Mr. Khamenei said the unrest had resulted in significant loss of life but blamed the violence on the United States and what he described as foreign interference.
Human rights groups say the death toll is high. The US-based Human Rights Activists News Agency (HRANA) estimates that 3,090 people have been killed, while other activist organisations believe the figure may be much higher. Independent verification has been difficult because of severe restrictions on internet access.
The protests began on 28 December, initially driven by economic grievances, before evolving into wider calls for an end to the supreme leader’s rule. Iranian authorities have described the demonstrations as “riots” orchestrated by the country’s enemies.
Security forces responded with lethal force. Videos showing live fire being used against protesters have been verified by BBC Persian and BBC Verify.
Iran has also imposed a near-total internet blackout. On Saturday, overall connectivity was estimated at about 2% of normal levels, according to the monitoring group NetBlocks.
There have been fewer reports of unrest in recent days, but the lack of reliable communications has made it difficult to assess the situation on the ground.
A resident of Shiraz, in southwestern Iran, told BBC Persian that security forces were still patrolling streets on motorbikes but said daily life had largely returned to normal.
In his address, Mr. Khamenei accused US President Donald Trump of encouraging unrest, calling him a “criminal” and saying the United States must be “held accountable.” He later wrote on social media that “America’s goal is to swallow Iran.”
President Trump had earlier urged Iranian protesters to “keep protesting” and warned of possible military action if security forces continued killing demonstrators.
The White House has not yet responded to Mr. Khamenei’s remarks. The BBC has contacted US officials for comment.
On Saturday, the US State Department said it had received reports that Iran was preparing options to target American military bases, warning that any such move would be met with a “very, very powerful force.”
Earlier in the week, the US and the UK reduced personnel at the Al Udeid air base in Qatar, a move officials described as a precautionary measure.
