By: peace udugba- The daily torch media
Iran has issued a stern warning that it will retaliate if attacked by the United States, following reports that hundreds of protesters have been killed and thousands more injured in a brutal crackdown on nationwide demonstrations.
Despite the intensifying government response, protests continued on Saturday night. Iran’s police chief confirmed on state TV that security forces had escalated their operations.
Medics at two hospitals told the BBC that over 100 bodies were brought in within just two days. While the true nationwide death toll remains unclear, the US-based Human Rights Activist News Agency (HRANA) says it has verified the deaths of 490 protesters and 48 security personnel. The group also reports that more than 10,600 people have been detained over the two weeks of unrest.
The protests, initially sparked by soaring inflation in Tehran, have evolved into nationwide calls for an end to Iran’s clerical regime, targeting Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei.
In response to the violence, the US has reportedly considered multiple actions, including military strikes, cyber operations, and increased sanctions. President Donald Trump declared that the U.S. “stands ready to help,” describing Iran as “looking at FREEDOM,” though he did not elaborate on concrete plans.
Iran’s parliament speaker warned that any US attack would provoke retaliation against American and Israeli military and shipping interests in the region.
Meanwhile, harrowing reports from hospitals reveal the scale of the violence. In Rasht, BBC Persian verified that 70 bodies were received in a single night. A Tehran hospital worker described victims as mostly young people, many with fatal gunshot wounds to the head and chest, stating: “Many didn’t even make it to the hospital.”
Sources told BBC Persian that plain-clothes officers have also been targeting lone protesters and those filming the unrest.
