DUBAI, United Arab Emirates (AP) — At least 7,003 people have been killed in Iran during a crackdown on nationwide protests last month, activists said Thursday, with many more deaths still feared.
Iran Protests Death Toll Reaches 7,003
The rising death toll adds to tensions facing Iran both domestically and in its negotiations with the United States over its nuclear program. A second round of talks remains uncertain as Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu urged U.S. President Donald Trump to intensify demands on Tehran.
“There was nothing definitive reached other than I insisted that negotiations with Iran continue to see whether or not a Deal can be consummated. If it can, I let the Prime Minister know that will be a preference,” Trump wrote on his Truth Social website.
“Last time Iran decided that they were better off not making a Deal, and they were hit. … That did not work well for them. Hopefully this time they will be more reasonable and responsible.”
Trump stated that Iran should reach an agreement with the U.S. “very quickly,” and suggested a deal could be reached “over the next month.” He warned that failure to reach a deal would be “very traumatic” for Iran.
Netanyahu said Trump believes Iran’s recognition of past mistakes in not reaching an agreement may lead them to accept conditions for a “good agreement.” However, Netanyahu expressed “general skepticism” and stressed any deal must address Iran’s ballistic missiles program and support for militant groups, not just its nuclear program. He described his talks with the U.S. president as “excellent.”
Simmering anger remains in Iran over the suppression of dissent. This rage may intensify as families begin marking the traditional 40-day mourning period for those killed.
Activists’ Death Toll Slowly Rises
The U.S.-based Human Rights Activists News Agency, which has accurately counted deaths during previous unrest in Iran, reports the latest figure of 7,003 people killed, including 214 government forces. The agency relies on a network of activists in Iran to verify deaths and is slowly crosschecking information as communication remains difficult.
Iran’s government reported 3,117 deaths on Jan. 21, but has historically undercounted or not reported fatalities from unrest.
The Associated Press has been unable to independently verify the death toll due to disrupted internet access and international calls in Iran.
Diplomacy over Iran Continues
Senior Iranian security official Ali Larijani met Wednesday in Qatar with Foreign Minister Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al Thani. Qatar hosts a major U.S. military installation that Iran attacked in June, following U.S. bombing of Iranian nuclear sites during the 12-day Iran-Israel war.
Larijani also met with officials of the Palestinian Hamas militant group and, in Oman, with Tehran-backed Houthi rebels from Yemen on Tuesday. He stated that Iran did not receive any specific proposal from the U.S. in Oman, but acknowledged an “exchange of messages.”
Qatar’s emir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani spoke with Trump about “the current situation in the region and international efforts aimed at de-escalation and strengthening regional security and peace.”
The U.S. has deployed the aircraft carrier USS Abraham Lincoln, ships, and warplanes to the Middle East to pressure Iran into an agreement and maintain the capability to strike the Islamic Republic. U.S. forces have already shot down a drone they said approached the Lincoln too closely and assisted a U.S.-flagged ship that Iranian forces attempted to stop in the Strait of Hormuz.
Trump indicated he was considering sending a second carrier to the region, stating, “We have an armada that is heading there and another one might be going.”
Concern over Nobel Peace Prize laureate
The Norwegian Nobel Committee expressed being “deeply appalled by credible reports detailing the brutal arrest, physical abuse and ongoing life‑threatening mistreatment” of 2023 Peace Prize laureate Narges Mohammadi.
The committee reported Mohammadi was beaten during her arrest in December and continues to be mistreated, denied adequate medical care, and subjected to interrogation and intimidation. She has fainted, suffers from high blood pressure, and has been prevented from accessing follow-up for suspected breast tumors.
Mohammadi, 53, was recently sentenced to over seven more years in prison, after receiving a furlough in December 2024 over medical concerns.
Discover more from Archyworldys
Subscribe to get the latest posts sent to your email.
