Trump Threatens Iran as IRGC Mows Down Protesters | WATCH

Anti-government protests in Iran entered their 14th day on Saturday, with demonstrations spreading to over 100 cities amid a deepening economic crisis and reports of intensifying violence by security forces. Human rights groups and international media outlets have documented at least 50 to 65 deaths since the unrest began in late December 2025, though one unverified account from Tehran suggests a far higher toll in the capital alone.

The protests, initially sparked by a historic collapse of the Iranian rial and inflation rates soaring to 70% in key sectors, have evolved into broader calls for regime change. Demonstrators in cities including Tehran, Isfahan, Shiraz, Mashhad, Tabriz, and Ahvaz have chanted slogans such as "Death to the dictator" and demands for the return of the pre-1979 monarchy under the Pahlavi dynasty.

Videos and eyewitness accounts shared on social media platforms like X show crowds clashing with security forces, including the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) and Basij militias, who have deployed tear gas, batons, and live ammunition.

A nationwide internet blackout, imposed since January 9, has severely hampered communication and independent verification of events.

Despite the restrictions, leaked videos depict gunfire in Tehran neighborhoods, protesters storming government buildings, and regime vehicles being set ablaze.

In one viral image reminiscent of the 1989 Tiananmen Square protests, a lone demonstrator is seen facing down regime forces on motorcycles.

Human rights organizations, including Norway-based Iran Human Rights and the U.S.-based Human Rights Activists News Agency (HRANA), report at least 51 to 65 fatalities, including nine minors, with over 2,300 arrests across 180 cities in all 31 provinces.

These figures include 50 protesters, 14 security personnel, and one government-affiliated civilian.

However, a TIME magazine report cited an anonymous Tehran doctor claiming over 217 protester deaths at just six hospitals in the capital, primarily from live ammunition, with many young victims killed near police stations by machine gun fire.

This higher estimate remains uncorroborated by other sources and contrasts with lower nationwide tallies. Iranian state media has downplayed the violence, denying significant deaths in Tehran and portraying protesters as "rioters" influenced by foreign powers.

Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei has warned of a firm response, while state TV reports security force casualties without specifying protester deaths.

International observers, including the United Nations, have expressed concern, drawing parallels to the 2022-2023 "Woman, Life, Freedom" protests where over 550 were killed.

U.S. President Donald Trump has voiced support for the protesters, threatening consequences if mass killings occur. Marcio Rubio echoed this message of US support for Iran. He has also threatrned Iran with direct consequences for killing protesters for the third time, saying that the U.S. reaction might not include boots on the goriund, but will strike the regime where it hurts them most. In his latest warning, he said, "Iran's in big trouble. It looks to me that the people are taking over certain cities that nobody thought were really possible... We're watching... I made the statement very strongly that if they start killing people like they have in the past, we will get involved."

On platforms like X, users report regime forces opening fire in cities such as Marvdasht and Lordegan, with protesters arming themselves and seizing buildings.

Analysts note the unrest's rapid spread, fueled by economic woes exacerbated by Western sanctions, with some predicting potential elite fractures within the regime.

According to the BBC, several hospitals across Iran are overwhelmed, with Iranian medics saying many patients are being treated for gunshot wounds to the head. (Open Source Intel)