Iran has warned it will retaliate if attacked by the United States as activists report hundreds of protesters have been killed in a widening government crackdown.
The Human Rights Activist News Agency (HRANA) says it has verified the deaths of 495 protesters and 48 security personnel, with more than 10,600 people detained nationwide.
A source in Tehran told the BBC: “Things here are very, very bad… It’s like a war zone, the streets are full of blood.”
BBC-verified footage shows rows of body bags near Tehran, while hospital staff told the BBC they have been overwhelmed with dead and injured protesters.
One health worker said: “Around 38 people died… direct shots to the heads of the young people, to their hearts as well.”
The protests, sparked by soaring inflation, have evolved into calls for an end to clerical rule.
Iran’s attorney general said protesters would be considered an “enemy of God,” while Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei dismissed demonstrators as a “bunch of vandals.”
US President Donald Trump said the US “stands ready to help” as Iran “is looking at FREEDOM,” with US officials confirming he has been briefed on military options.
Iran’s parliament speaker warned that any US attack would make American and Israeli targets in the region “legitimate.”
Iran has imposed a severe internet shutdown, and international media cannot report freely from inside the country.
Source: BBC.
