So far, about 2000 people, including security personnel, have lost their lives in the anti-government protests that have been going on in Iran for the last three weeks. The government has also arrested about 12,000 people due to the violence that started due to poor economic conditions.
Iran Protest Violence: A senior Iranian official claimed on Tuesday that nearly 2,000 people, including security personnel, have died during the ongoing anti-government protests in the country. This is the first time Iranian officials have acknowledged such a large number of deaths in the two weeks of nationwide unrest.
Iranian official told, who is responsible for the deaths?
Speaking to the news agency, the Iranian official said that the people whom the government is calling “terrorists” are responsible for the deaths of protesters and security forces. However, the official did not clarify how many civilians, security personnel or others were among those killed.
How did violence erupt in Iran?
According to the report, these protests started due to poor economic conditions. This unrest is considered to be the biggest internal challenge facing the Iranian government in at least the last three years. This development comes at a time when Iran is already facing increasing international pressure following attacks by Israel and the US.
Iranian government’s dual strategy
The religious leadership in power since the 1979 Islamic revolution has adopted a dual strategy to deal with the protests. The government justified the protests to some extent due to economic problems, but also took strict security action. The government alleges that America and Israel instigated the unrest. Earlier, a human rights organization claimed that more than 12,000 people have been arrested so far in Iran. However, due to internet closure in Iran, it is difficult to estimate the exact figure. Several videos have surfaced of night-time clashes between protesters and security forces. In these videos, firing, burning cars and a crowd damaging buildings are clearly visible.
Iran fighting war on 4 fronts simultaneously
Iranian Parliament Speaker Mohammad Baghar Ghalibaf said in Inquilab (Revolution) Square that Iran is currently fighting a war on 4 fronts. This includes economic warfare, psychological warfare, “military war” with the United States and Israel, and “war against terrorists.”