35 Now Killed, 1,200 Arrested as Protests Spread Across Iran

At least 35 people have been killed and more than 1,200 arrested as large-scale protests across Iran continued for more than a week, with demonstrations showing no signs of slowing.

The figures were reported Tuesday by the U.S.-based Human Rights Activists News Agency, which said protests have now reached over 250 locations across 27 of Iran’s 31 provinces. The group relies on an activist network inside Iran and has been accurate in past periods of unrest.

According to the agency’s data, those killed include 29 protesters, four children, and two members of Iran’s security forces. Activists say demonstrations have expanded steadily despite arrests and an increasingly forceful response from authorities.

A Telegram channel representing merchants at Tehran’s Grand Bazaar called on shop owners in several bazaars to mobilize Tuesday at 12:00 and coordinate marches toward Iran’s parliament, signaling growing organization within the protest movement.

Iranian state-linked media has focused instead on injuries among regime forces. The semi-official Fars News Agency, which is closely associated with the Revolutionary Guard, reported that roughly 250 police officers and 45 members of the Basij militia were injured during clashes with protesters nationwide.

Assessing the full scale of the unrest remains difficult due to tight restrictions imposed by the Iranian government. State media has provided limited coverage of the protests, while journalists face travel restrictions, harassment, and the threat of arrest. Much of the information has emerged through activist reports and shaky videos posted to social media, offering brief glimpses of crowds, confrontations, and gunfire.

The rising death toll has raised the prospect of American involvement. U.S. President Donald Trump warned Iran on Friday that if Tehran “violently kills peaceful protesters,” the United States would “come to their rescue.” While it remains unclear whether or how Washington would act, Iranian officials reacted angrily, threatening to target American forces in the Middle East if there is outside intervention.

Trump’s comments drew added attention after U.S. forces arrested Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro on Saturday. Maduro is a longtime ally of Tehran, and Iranian officials viewed the kidnapping as a signal of Washington’s willingness to act against hostile regimes.

The current unrest marks Iran’s largest wave of protests since 2022, when the death of Mahsa Amini in police custody sparked nationwide demonstrations. However, activists and analysts say the present protests have not yet reached the same intensity or scale as those earlier uprisings.

This time, the trigger has been largely economic. Years of sanctions, compounded by recent Israeli-American military actions under Operation Rising Lion, have battered Iran’s economy. The Iranian rial fell to a record low of roughly 1.4 million to the dollar in December, eroding purchasing power and fueling public anger.

Despite the mounting pressure, Iran’s leadership has signaled no intention of backing down. Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei said Saturday that “rioters must be put in their place,” language typically interpreted as approval for harsher measures by security forces. For now, activists say the protests are continuing, with no clear end in sight.