TehranA senior Iranian official stated on Sunday that the anti-government demonstrations in Iran, which have been going on for days, have killed at least 5,000 people, including 500 security personnel. The official also said that the deadliest clashes have been reported in the Kurdish region in the northwest of the country, where tensions have been rising due to clashes between Kurdish separatists and government forces.
The official, who spoke to Reuters under condition of anonymity, asserted that "terrorists and armed rioters" are responsible for the high death toll because they are murdering "innocent Iranians". The official claimed that Israel and other armed groups are helping these terrorists. The "final toll is not expected to increase sharply," he added.
Here are ten things you should know about this story:Iran's crippling economy and high inflation had sparked protests in December. It is regarded by many analysts as Iran's deadliest unrest since the Islamic Revolution of 1979, which drove Shah Mohammed Reza Pahlavi from the nation.Iran's Supreme Leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, has claimed that thousands of people have died as a result of the unrest, and he has blamed the West, especially the United States (US).He also cautioned President Donald Trump in a speech on Saturday about his comments and his encouragement of "seditious people" to carry on the unrest. He asserted that US "foot soldiers" are participating in the demonstrations and demolishing schools and mosques.He stated, "We do consider the US president a criminal, because of casualties and damages, because of accusations against the Iranian nation," according to the Associated Press. "They killed several thousand of them by hurting people."It should be mentioned that Trump has threatened to attack Iran and has called for a change of government there on several occasions."Khamenei is a sick man who needs to stop killing people and manage his nation properly. Due to bad leadership, his country is the worst place on earth to live. He told Politico, "It's time to find new leadership in Iran."However, the US president also expressed gratitude to the Iranian government for stopping 800 executions. "I greatly respect the fact that they canceled," he had stated.With the backing of ardent monarchists, Iran's exiled Crown Prince Reza Pahlavi has urged the demonstrators to take to the streets.On January 8, Iran blocked internet access; however, on Saturday, text messaging and very limited internet services were restored in certain areas.However, it was not immediately apparent how much access was available or what was behind it.All about the unrest in Iran