Iranian Government Blames “Terrorists” for Protest Killings Amid International Scrutiny
Tehran, Iran – In the wake of last month’s nationwide protests, the Iranian government has reiterated its stance, attributing the deaths of thousands to “terrorists.” This assertion has gained attention following comments from U.S. President Donald Trump and various human rights experts.
Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi announced on Saturday that the government has published a list of 3,117 individuals, whom he referred to as “victims of recent terrorist operations.” This list reportedly includes around 200 members of security forces. Araghchi challenged skeptics of the data to provide evidence disputing its accuracy, having previously labeled 690 individuals on the list as “terrorists” allegedly funded and armed by the United States and Israel.
Araghchi’s remarks came shortly after President Trump claimed that 32,000 people had died during the protests, asserting that “the people of Iran have lived in hell” under the current regime. The Iranian Foreign Minister has also engaged with various U.S. media outlets, advocating for a “fair” agreement regarding Iran’s nuclear program.
The specter of conflict looms over Iran, with Serbia recently advising its citizens to leave the country immediately, highlighting the escalating tensions in the region.
Majority of Casualties Identified as Civilians
Mai Sato, the United Nations Special Rapporteur on Human Rights in Iran, indicated that over 20,000 civilians may have lost their lives, although access to accurate information is hampered by state-imposed internet restrictions. This follows a nationwide communications blackout that has lasted six weeks. The U.S.-based Human Rights Activists News Agency (HRANA) has documented more than 7,000 fatalities linked to the protests and is investigating nearly 12,000 additional cases.
Sato was among 30 international human rights experts who signed a joint statement urging Iranian authorities to disclose the status of tens of thousands who have been arrested, forcibly disappeared, or are missing since the protests began. They also called for an immediate halt to death sentences and executions related to these events.
“The true scale of the violent crackdown on Iranian protesters remains impossible to determine at this point,” the experts stated. They noted that the vast majority of those detained or killed are ordinary citizens, including children, from diverse ethnic and religious backgrounds, as well as Afghan nationals. Among the casualties are lawyers, medical professionals, journalists, and human rights defenders.
Iranian state media have been accused of disseminating what experts describe as “forced confessions.” A recent incident involved the Mizan news agency broadcasting footage of a court session featuring three men expressing regret for setting fires during the unrest.
Students Return Amid Heightened Security
On Saturday, students across Iran returned to university campuses for the first time since the protests, with authorities maintaining online classes for some courses. Clashes erupted at Tehran’s Sharif University, where students demonstrated against paramilitary forces affiliated with the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC). The heightened security atmosphere in educational institutions has led to strikes by teachers protesting the deaths of at least 230 children and teenagers.
Commemorations and Defiance
In a show of grief and resilience, families of those killed during the protests have held commemorative events. The Iranian government organized mourning ceremonies, with Culture Minister Reza Salehi-Amiri announcing that the upcoming Nowruz celebrations will focus on “unity and empathy.” However, many families have opted for defiant commemorations, celebrating the lives of their loved ones with traditional music and dance, contrasting sharply with the somber rituals promoted by the state.
“My son was neither a rioter, nor an embezzler, nor an aghazadeh [child of an elite]. He was the son of a farmer,” lamented the father of Abolfazl MirAeez, a 33-year-old who was killed during the protests.
As the situation evolves, the international community continues to monitor developments in Iran, where the struggle for human rights and accountability remains at the forefront of public discourse.
