Iranian state media said dozens of security forces personnel were killed Prohibition The embargoed country, against a severe economic crisis, has warned the United States and Israel of retaliation if Washington attacks the Islamic Republic.
State television said on Sunday that 30 members of the police and security forces were killed in Isfahan province, while the commander of the Law Enforcement Command’s special units said eight security forces were killed in operations to quell riots in various cities on January 8 and 9.
Meanwhile, the Iranian Red Crescent said one of its team members was killed in an attack on one of its aid buildings in Gorgan, the capital of Golestan province.
The figures come as Iranian authorities begin efforts to contain the country The biggest protest Over the years, that has seen thousands of people take to the streets in anger over the rising cost of living and inflation.
The interior ministry said the “riots” were gradually abating while the attorney general warned that those involved in the unrest could face the death penalty.
Trump Threats
Speaking in parliament on Sunday, Mohammad Baqer Qalibaf issued a “false” warning to the US after US President Donald Trump threatened a military strike.
“Let us be clear: If Iran is attacked, the occupied territories (Israel) as well as all US bases and ships will be our legitimate targets,” said Qalibaf, a former commander in Iran’s Revolutionary Guards.
Reporting from Tehran, Al Jazeera’s Tohid Tohid called Sabaf’s words “a new level of escalation, at least rhetorically”.
Some lawmakers rushed to the podium in Iran’s parliament and chanted: “Death to America!”
Asadi said authorities were “trying to draw a line between the protesters and what they call rioters, or what Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei calls saboteurs”.
“They are saying that they understand the complexities related to the situation and people’s financial difficulties,” he said, adding that Qalibaf acknowledged people’s right to take part in protests in remarks he made earlier in the day.
Trump said on Saturday that the US is “ready to help” as protesters in Iran face a crackdown by authorities.
“IRAN LOOKS TO FREEDOM, MAYBE LIKE NEVER BEFORE. USA READY TO HELP!!!” In a social post on Truth Social, Trump said without explanation.
His comments came a day after he said Iran was in “big trouble” and again warned he could order strikes.
“It doesn’t mean putting boots on the ground, but it means hitting them very, very hard – where it hurts,” the US president said.
Meanwhile, across the country off According to the monitor NetBlocks, the Internet in Iran remains stable and has been up for more than 60 hours now.
“The censorship measure represents a direct threat to the security and well-being of the Iranian people at a crucial moment for the country’s future,” it said on Sunday, adding that the blackout “has now exceeded the 60-hour mark”.
A warning from the military
Iran’s police chief Ahmad-Reza Rada was quoted by state media on Sunday as saying that the level of confrontation with the rioters had been stepped up.
Iranian army said On Saturday it will defend the country’s “national interests” as it accuses Israel and “hostile terrorist groups” of trying to “undermine the country’s public security” amid a fast-growing protest movement.
“The Army under the command of the Supreme Commander-in-Chief, along with other armed forces, will safeguard and protect the national interests, the country’s strategic infrastructure and public assets, in addition to monitoring enemy movements in the region,” it said.
The Demonstrations The incident in late December is the biggest in Iran since the 2022-2023 protests fueled by deaths in custody. Mahsa Aminiwho were arrested for violating the country’s strict dress code for women.
Human rights groups have called for restraint amid reports of protest-related casualties and mass arrests, with Norway-based NGO Iran Human Rights saying at least 51 protesters, including nine children, have been killed by security forces and hundreds injured.