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An Iranian official said Tuesday that about 2,000 people including security personnel have been killed in protests.
The official, speaking to Reuters on condition of anonymity, said people he called "terrorists" were behind the deaths of both protesters and security personnel. The official did not provide a breakdown of who had been killed.
Official Iranian authorities have released no casualty figures. The U.S.-based Human Rights Activists News Agency (HRANA) reported January 13 that at least 664 people have died, including 133 security personnel and 1 prosecutor, with 9 under 18 years old. Over 1,000 have been injured and at least 10,721 have been detained across protests in 585 locations nationwide in 187 cities across all 31 provinces.
The unrest began December 28 when shopkeepers at Tehran's Grand Bazaar sparked protests over the country's currency collapse and economic crisis.
The demonstrations spread to cities across Iran.
U.S. President Donald Trump announced 25% import tariffs Monday on products from any country doing business with Iran, a major oil exporter.
Trump has also said military action is among options he is weighing to punish Iran over the crackdown, saying earlier this month "we are locked and loaded."
Tehran has not yet responded publicly to Trump's tariff announcement, but China swiftly criticized it. Iran already faces heavy U.S. sanctions and exports much of its oil to China, with Türkiye, Iraq, the United Arab Emirates, and India among its other top trading partners.
German Chancellor Friedrich Merz said Tuesday he expects Iran's government to collapse soon, predicting the regime is living through its "final days and weeks."
"When a regime can only maintain power through violence, it is effectively finished," Merz told reporters during his official visit to India.
Merz argued Iran's leadership no longer has legitimacy and said he hopes for a peaceful transition. Berlin is in close contact with the US, Britain, and France on developments in Iran, Merz noted.
"The foreign ministers are in close contact with each other to ensure that there can be a peaceful transition in Iran to a democratically legitimized government," he said.
German Foreign Minister Johann Wadephul said Monday during his Washington visit that Berlin will pursue stronger sanctions against Iran's government following the crackdown.
"We will use all available measures to impose sanctions on this regime," Wadephul said after meeting U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio.
"This includes listing it under the EU's terror sanctions regime – which we cannot yet implement because it requires unanimity – but we remain committed to achieving this," he said.
Wadephul characterized Iran as having "no legitimacy" and called its methods against civilians violations of human rights standards. The international community must clearly stand with the Iranian people, he said.
Iran's top military commander Abdolrahim Mousavi accused the U.S. and Israel Tuesday of deploying Daesh members inside the country to carry out attacks against civilians and security personnel.
Mousavi said the move came after Washington and Tel Aviv's failure in what he described as a recent "12-day war" against Iran. He called the Daesh members "mercenaries" sent to carry out violent attacks.
"Iran will not tolerate any violation of its sovereignty or territorial integrity," Mousavi said, adding that security forces have acted with restraint in handling protests but would not allow "terrorist elements" to operate.
Neither the U.S. nor Israel issued immediate responses to the accusations.
Iran's Chief Medical Examiner said most protesters who died were killed by "armed terrorists" using edged weapons to target vital organs or shot at close range with hunting rifles, he also claimed that "armed trained elements infiltrated the protests and deliberately targeted protesters' vital organs."
Spain summoned Iranian Ambassador Reza Zabib Tuesday to convey its rejection of Tehran's crackdown, Foreign Minister Jose Manuel Albares said.
"We want to express our strong repudiation and condemnation of what has been happening for days in Iran," Albares told Catalunya Radio.
He said the Iranian government "must respect the right to peaceful protest and freedom of expression. "Madrid will also demand Iran restore internet access and allow communication with the rest of the world," Albares said.
Spain will urge Tehran to "end the arbitrary arrests that have been happening in recent days and to return to the negotiating table," he added, placing particular emphasis on the rights of female protesters.
"We are well aware that it is much more difficult and requires more bravery to take to the streets as a woman in Iran," he noted.
UN Human Rights Commissioner Volker Turk also called on Iranian officials to immediately stop all violence and pressure against peaceful protesters and restore full access to internet and telecommunications services.
"We are appalled by the escalating violence by security forces against protesters across Iran," Turk said in a statement shared by UN Human Rights Office Spokesperson Jeremy Laurence at the UN Geneva Office's weekly press briefing.
Turk noted that hundreds have been killed and thousands arrested. He said labeling protesters as "terrorists" to justify violence is unacceptable.
"All deaths, violence against protesters and other human rights violations must be investigated in accordance with international human rights norms and standards, and those responsible must be held accountable," he said.
He expressed concern about statements from some judicial officials suggesting death sentences could be used against protesters through accelerated trials.
"Iranians have the right to peaceful protest. Their grievances must be heard and addressed. This must not be instrumentalized by anyone," he noted.
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