Death toll in Iran protest crackdown rises to 29 – rights group | Iran International
Iran Government Responds as Protests Spread
Iran’s theocratic government, led by Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, has moved aggressively to suppress the demonstrations. Security forces have reportedly used tear gas and live ammunition to disperse crowds. Authorities have framed the protests not as a grassroots uprising but as a foreign-backed conspiracy.
Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi described the unrest as a “terrorist war” during remarks to diplomats in Tehran, echoing official claims that the protests are driven by the United States, Israel, and other outside actors. State television has broadcast footage of pro-government rallies, including crowds waving Iranian flags in Tehran’s Revolution Square, which it described as an “Iranian uprising against American-Zionist terrorism.”
HRANA: Hundreds of dead protesters piled at forensic center | The Jerusalem Post
Trump Administration Holds Emergency Iran Meetings
As violence escalated, members of U.S. President Donald Trump’s national security team — including Secretary of State Marco Rubio, Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, and CIA Director John Ratcliffe — met Tuesday morning to discuss the situation, according to White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt. Vice President JD Vance also convened a separate strategy session with National Security Council principals later in the day.
