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- 3 teens killed in Iran protests (upi.com)
Rising Tensions in Iran: At Least 19 Protesters Dead Amid Widespread Unrest
TEHRAN, Iran – At least 19 individuals, including three teenagers, have reportedly lost their lives in Iran over the past eight days as widespread protests continue to sweep across the nation. The demonstrations, which began on December 28 over the country’s plummeting currency and inflation, have escalated into increasingly violent clashes with security forces.
The uprising has rapidly expanded, now encompassing at least 78 cities and 222 locations, according to the U.S.-based Human Rights Activists in Iran (HRAI). Protesters are increasingly vocal in their demands for an end to the current regime.
President Donald Trump has issued a stern warning, stating that the United States would intervene if more protesters are killed. “We’re watching it very closely. If they start killing people like they have in the past, I think they’re going to get hit very hard by the United States,” Trump told reporters.
Among the confirmed fatalities are Mostafa Falahi, 15, from Azna; Razul Kadivarian, 17; and an unidentified 17-year-old in Qom. HRAI has also reported documenting the arrests of 44 children and teenagers.
Falahi was killed on January 1 when security forces opened fire on demonstrators. Kadivarian, along with his 20-year-old brother Reza, died on January 3 under similar circumstances in Kermanshah, as reported by the Hengaw Organization for Human Rights.
HRAI estimates that 990 people have been arrested and at least 20 have been killed so far. Skylar Thompson, deputy director of Hengaw, emphasized the gravity of the situation, stating, “These numbers provide clear evidence that youth are present throughout the ongoing protests. The indiscriminate targeting of a civilian population must be widely condemned as a violation of international law, especially with the clear illustration of children present.”
Eyewitness accounts describe scenes of intense violence. One protester in Ilam recounted to The Guardian how security forces opened fire on crowds chanting anti-government slogans, describing the scene as a “war zone.” The witness reported seeing multiple injuries and believed some were killed instantly.
Awyar Shekhi of Hengaw further detailed the brutal crackdown, noting that “state forces are firing directly at gatherings and protests without regard for whether those targeted are children or adults. The crackdowns are brutal: teargas and military-grade weapons are being used, and detainees are severely beaten before being transferred to undisclosed locations.”
The current unrest echoes the “Woman, Life, Freedom” protests of 2022, which saw over 500 fatalities, including at least 60 children, some as young as eight years old.
Internationally, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu expressed solidarity with the Iranian people’s struggle. However, Iranian foreign ministry spokesperson Esmail Baquai dismissed statements from Netanyahu and “certain radical American officials” as “nothing more than incitement to violence.”
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