Iran warns it will retaliate if US attacks as protesters defy crackdown

Iran has warned it is going to retaliate if attacked by the US, as protesters defied a lethal authorities crackdown on Saturday evening.

Movies verified by the BBC and eyewitness accounts appeared to indicate the federal government ramping up its response to the protests, which have unfold to greater than 100 cities and cities throughout each province in Iran.

Medics at two hospitals have informed the BBC that greater than 100 our bodies had been introduced in over a two day interval. The nationwide demise toll is feared to be far increased.

The US has threatened to strike Iran over the killing of protesters. Iran’s parliament speaker warned that if the US attacked, Israel together with US army and transport centres within the area would turn into reputable targets.

The protests had been sparked within the capital, Tehran, by hovering inflation, and protesters at the moment are calling for an finish to the clerical rule of Iran’s Supreme Chief Ayatollah Ali Khamenei.

Iran’s lawyer common mentioned anybody protesting can be thought of an “enemy of God” – an offence that carries the demise penalty – whereas Khamenei has dismissed demonstrators as a “bunch of vandals” in search of to “please” Trump.

US President Donald Trump mentioned on Saturday that the US “stands prepared to assist” as Iran “is taking a look at FREEDOM”.

As protests intensify, the variety of deaths and accidents continues to rise. Two human rights teams have reported greater than 100 individuals, together with safety personnel, killed.

Workers at a number of hospitals informed the BBC they’ve been overwhelmed with the injured and lifeless, with BBC Persian verifying 70 our bodies introduced to at least one hospital in Rasht metropolis on Friday evening and a well being employee reporting round 38 individuals dying at a Tehran hospital.

Iran’s police chief mentioned on state TV that the extent of confrontation with protesters had been stepped up, with arrests on Saturday evening of what he known as “key figures”. He blamed a “important proportion of fatalities” on “skilled and directed people”, not safety forces, however didn’t give particular particulars.

Greater than 2,500 individuals have been arrested since protests started on 28 December, based on a human rights group.

The BBC and most different worldwide information organisations are unable to report from inside Iran, and the Iranian authorities has imposed an web shutdown since Thursday, making acquiring and verifying info troublesome.

Nonetheless, some video footage has emerged, and the BBC has spoken to individuals on the bottom.

A number of movies, confirmed as current by BBC Confirm, present clashes between protesters and safety forces in Mashhad, Iran’s second largest metropolis.

Masked protesters are seen taking cowl behind bins and bonfires, whereas a row of safety forces is seen within the distance. A car that seems to be a bus is engulfed in flames.

A number of gunshots and what appears like banging on pots and pans may be heard.

A determine standing on a close-by footbridge seems to fireside a number of gunshots in a number of instructions as a few individuals take cowl behind a fence.

In Tehran, a verified video from Saturday evening reveals protesters additionally taking on the streets within the Gisha district.

Different verified movies from the capital present a big group of protesters and the sound of banging on pots in Punak Sq., and a crowd of protesters marching on a highway and calling for the top of the clerical institution within the Heravi district.

Web entry in Iran is essentially restricted to a home intranet, with restricted hyperlinks to the skin world. However through the present spherical of protests, authorities have for the primary time severely restricted the home intranet.

An professional informed BBC Persian the shutdown is extra extreme than through the “Girls, Life, Freedom” rebellion in 2022.

Alireza Manafi, an web researcher, mentioned the one probably method to connect with the skin world was through Starlink satellite tv for pc web, however warned customers to train warning, as such connections may probably be traced by the federal government.

On Saturday, Trump wrote on social media: “Iran is taking a look at FREEDOM, maybe like by no means earlier than. The USA stands prepared to assist!!!”

He didn’t elaborate, however US media reported that Trump had been briefed on choices for army strikes within the nation. The New York Instances and Wall Avenue Journal (WSJ) reported the briefings had taken place, with WSJ describing them as “preliminary discussions”. An unnamed official informed the WSJ there was no “imminent risk” to Iran.

Final 12 months, the US carried out airstrikes on Iranian nuclear amenities.

On Sunday, Reza Pahlavi, the exiled son of Iran’s final shah (king), who lives within the US and whose return protesters have been calling for, posted a video to X.

Its caption mentioned: “Your compatriots world wide are proudly shouting your voice… Particularly, President Trump, because the chief of the free world, has rigorously noticed your indescribable bravery and has introduced that he’s prepared that can assist you.”

He added: “I do know that I’ll quickly be by your facet.”

He claimed the Islamic Republic was dealing with a “extreme scarcity of mercenaries” and that “many armed and safety forces have left their workplaces or disobeyed orders to suppress the individuals”. The BBC couldn’t confirm these claims.

Pahlavi inspired individuals to proceed protesting on Sunday night, however to remain in teams or with crowds and never “endanger your lives”.

Amnesty Worldwide mentioned it was analysing “distressing reviews that safety forces had intensified their illegal use of deadly pressure in opposition to protesters” since Thursday.

UK Overseas Secretary Yvette Cooper mentioned these talking out in opposition to Khamenei’s authorities shouldn’t face “the specter of violence or reprisals”.

At the least 162 protesters and 41 safety personnel have been killed prior to now two weeks, US-based Human Rights Activists in Iran mentioned.

Norway-based Iran Human Rights reported at the very least 192 protesters have been killed.

The group’s director Mahmood Amiry-Moghaddam mentioned: “The killing of protesters over the previous three days, notably following the nationwide web shutdown, could also be much more intensive than we presently think about.”

BBC Persian has confirmed the identities of 26 individuals killed, together with six youngsters.

The protests have been essentially the most widespread since an rebellion in 2022 sparked by the demise in custody of Mahsa Amini, a younger Kurdish lady who was detained by morality police for allegedly not sporting her hijab correctly.

Greater than 550 individuals had been killed and 20,000 detained by safety forces over a number of months, based on human rights teams.

Further reporting by Soroush Pakzad and Roja Assadi