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An Iranian official said authorities have verified that at least 5,000 people were killed during protests across Iran, including about 500 members of the security forces, according to remarks reported Sunday.
The official, who spoke on condition of anonymity due to the sensitivity of the issue, blamed what he described as “terrorists and armed rioters” for the deaths of “innocent Iranians.”
The official said some of the heaviest clashes and highest death tolls occurred in Iran’s Kurdish regions in the northwest, where Kurdish separatist groups have been active and where unrest has historically been among the most violent during past protest waves.
He said the final toll is not expected to increase sharply and claimed that “Israel and armed groups abroad” supported and armed those involved in the protests.
Iranian authorities have repeatedly blamed domestic unrest on foreign enemies, including Israel, which launched military strikes on Iran in June.
The U.S.-based Human Rights Activists News Agency (HRANA) said Saturday that at least 3,308 people have been killed so far, with another 4,382 cases still under review.
The group also reported over 24,000 arrests linked to the protests.
The Norway-based Iranian Kurdish rights group Hengaw said Kurdish areas in northwestern Iran were among the regions subjected to heavy security measures during protests that intensified in late December.
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