Iran says dozens of officers killed as protesters defy government crackdown

Iran’s authorities media says dozens of information forces person been killed during protests successful the sanctions-hit state against a terrible economical crisis, arsenic the parliament talker warned the United States and Israel of retaliatory strikes if Washington attacks the Islamic Republic.

State tv said connected Sunday 30 members of the constabulary and information forces were killed successful Isfahan province, portion the commandant of the Law Enforcement Command Special Units said 8 information forces were killed connected January 8 and 9 during operations to quell riots successful assorted cities. The semi-official Tasnim quality bureau reported connected Sunday that 109 information unit had been killed successful the protests crossed the country.

The Iranian Red Crescent, meanwhile, said a subordinate of its squad died during an onslaught connected 1 of its alleviation buildings successful Gorgan, the superior of Golestan province.

The reported figures travel arsenic Iranian authorities measurement up efforts to quell the country’s largest protests successful years, which person seen thousands of radical instrumentality to the streets successful choler implicit the soaring outgo of surviving and inflation.

The Interior Ministry said the “riots” are gradually subsiding portion the lawyer wide has warned that those progressive successful the unrest could look the decease penalty.

Trump threats

Speaking successful parliament connected Sunday aft threats of subject strikes by US President Donald Trump, Mohammad Baqer Qalibaf warned the US against “a miscalculation”.

“Let america beryllium clear: successful the lawsuit of an onslaught connected ‍Iran, the occupied territories (Israel) arsenic good arsenic each US bases and ships volition beryllium our morganatic target,” said Qalibaf, a erstwhile commandant successful Iran’s Revolutionary Guards.

Reporting from Tehran, Al Jazeera’s Tohid Asadi said Qalibaf’s words are “a caller level of escalation, astatine slightest rhetorically”.

Some lawmakers reportedly rushed the dais successful the Iranian parliament, shouting: “Death to America!”

Asadi said the authorities are “trying to gully a enactment betwixt protesters and what they telephone rioters, oregon what Iranian Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei came retired to telephone saboteurs”.

“They are saying that they recognize the concern and complexities related to the economical difficulties radical are facing,” helium said, adding that Qalibaf recognised the close of radical to instrumentality portion successful protests successful his remarks earlier successful the day.

Trump said connected Saturday the US is “ready to help” arsenic protesters successful Iran faced an intensifying crackdown by the authorities.

“Iran is looking astatine FREEDOM, possibly similar ne'er before. The USA stands acceptable to help!!!” Trump said successful a societal station connected Truth Social, without elaborating.

His comments travel a time aft helium said that Iran was successful “big trouble” and again warned that helium could order  strikes.

“That doesn’t mean boots connected the ground, but it means hitting them very, precise hard – wherever it hurts,” the US president said.

Meanwhile, a nationwide shutdown of the net successful Iran remains successful spot and has present lasted much than 60 hours, according to show Netblocks.

“The censorship measurement presents a nonstop menace to the information and wellbeing of Iranians astatine a cardinal infinitesimal for the country’s future,” it said connected Sunday, adding that the blackout is “now past the 60-hour mark”.

Warning from army

Iran’s constabulary chief, Ahmad-Reza Rada, was quoted arsenic saying by the authorities media connected Sunday that the level of confrontation with rioters has been stepped up.

The Iranian service said connected Saturday that it would support the country’s “national interests” arsenic it accused Israel and “hostile violent groups” of seeking to “undermine the country’s nationalist security” amid the rapidly increasing protestation movement.

“The Army, nether the bid of the Supreme Commander-in-Chief, unneurotic with different equipped forces, successful summation to monitoring force movements successful the region, volition resolutely support and safeguard nationalist interests, the country’s strategical infrastructure, and nationalist property,” it said.

The demonstrations since precocious December are the largest successful Iran since a 2022-2023 protestation question spurred by the decease successful custody of Mahsa Amini, who had been arrested for allegedly violating the country’s strict formal codification for women.

Human rights groups person urged restraint amid reports of protest-related casualties and wide arrests, with Norway-based NGO Iran Human Rights saying astatine slightest 51 protesters, including 9 children, person been killed by information forces, and hundreds much person been injured.