United News of Bangladesh

Iran is facing its deadliest crackdown on dissent since the 1979 Islamic Revolution, as authorities suppress nationwide protests with lethal force, despite cutting off internet and communication across the country. Cities and towns are filled with smoke, with fire-damaged mosques, government offices, and banks lining the streets. State media reported at least $125 million in damage across more than 20 cities. Activists say the death toll continues to rise, accusing security forces of using long-standing tactics — firing from rooftops, shooting birdshot into crowds, and deploying motorcycle-riding Revolutionary Guard volunteers to beat and detain protesters. “The vast majority of protesters were peaceful,” said Raha Bahreini of Amnesty International. “The authorities have opened fire unlawfully, targeting crowds that included children and families.” Protests began on Dec. 28 at Tehran’s Grand Bazaar over the collapse of Iran’s currency, the rial, and spread nationwide. Violence escalated on Jan. 8 after calls from exiled crown prince Reza Pahlavi. Deputy Interior Minister Ali Akbar Pourjamshidian said more than 400 cities were affected. Videos show security forces, including the Basij volunteer arm of the Revolutionary Guard, using shotguns, batons, and assault rifles. Many demonstrators suffered severe injuries, including eye wounds consistent with birdshot. Iran’s Farabi Eye Hospital mobilized all available doctors to treat the injured. Casualty reports vary: the Iranian government said 3,117 were killed, including civilians and security personnel, while the U.S.-based Human Rights Activists News Agency reported 5,137 deaths, including 4,834 protesters. State media also reported widespread damage to banks, ATMs, government buildings, and vehicles. Amid fears of U.S. military action, an American aircraft carrier and warships are moving toward the Middle East. Observers warn that Iran could see renewed protests around Feb. 17, the 40-day mourning period for those killed. Satellite images show large numbers of mourners at Tehran’s Behesht-e Zahra cemetery, chanting against Iran’s leadership.

Iran’s powerful Revolutionary Guard has warned the United States that its forces remain on high alert, even as President Donald Trump said Tehran appears willing to enter negotiations. In a statement aired by state television on Thursday, Revolutionary Guard commander Gen Mohammad Pakpour said his forces have their “finger on the trigger,” cautioning both Washington and Israel against what he described as potential miscalculations. He urged the US and Israel to draw lessons from past conflicts, including what he called the “12-day imposed war,” and said the Guard stood fully prepared to carry out any orders from Iran’s supreme leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei. Despite the sharp rhetoric, signs of immediate US military action appeared to ease this week. Speaking at the World Economic Forum in Davos, Trump said the United States had struck Iranian uranium enrichment facilities last year to prevent Tehran from developing a nuclear weapon. New Israeli settlement Yatziv inaugurated near Beit Sahour “We can’t let that happen,” Trump said, adding that Iran “does want to talk,” and that the US would engage in discussions. At the same time, Iran’s military leadership issued further warnings. Gen Ali Abdollahi Aliabadi, head of Iran’s joint command headquarters, said any US attack would make “all US interests, bases and centres of influence” legitimate targets. Earlier this week, Trump had warned Iran’s leaders that the United States would respond decisively if there were any attempt on his life, linking such a scenario to potential retaliation over actions targeting Khamenei. The heightened tensions come as Iran’s leadership deals with the fallout from nationwide protests that erupted in late December. Authorities have since suppressed the unrest through a forceful crackdown, alongside a sweeping internet blackout described by monitoring group NetBlocks as a “national kill-switch,” now in its second week. Hackers disrupt Iran state TV as protest crackdown death toll tops 4,000 On Wednesday, Iranian officials released their first official casualty figures from the protests, saying 3,117 people were killed. #With inputs from Agencies

Hackers briefly disrupted Iranian state television satellite broadcasts to air footage backing the country’s exiled crown prince and urging security forces not to turn their weapons on the people, according to online videos seen early Monday. The broadcast interference came as activists said the death toll from a sweeping crackdown on nationwide protests had climbed to at least 4,029, with fears the figure could rise further as information continues to emerge from a country still facing internet shutdowns. Footage aired late Sunday on several satellite channels run by Islamic Republic of Iran Broadcasting showed clips of exiled Crown Prince Reza Pahlavi along with images of people in what appeared to be police uniforms. A message urged the army and security forces not to target civilians and to stand with the nation. Iran’s semiofficial Fars news agency, which is close to the Revolutionary Guard, quoted state television as saying the signal in some areas had been “momentarily disrupted by an unknown source,” without elaborating on the content that was aired. Pahlavi’s office acknowledged the disruption showing the crown prince but did not comment further. The latest hacking incident follows a series of similar disruptions in recent years, including one in 2022 that aired footage of exiled opposition leaders and messages critical of Iran’s top leadership. Meanwhile, tensions between Tehran and Washington remain high over the crackdown. President Donald Trump has warned Iran against killing peaceful protesters or carrying out mass executions following the demonstrations. Ship-tracking data reviewed by the AP showed the USS Abraham Lincoln aircraft carrier and several US warships passing through the Strait of Malacca after leaving Singapore, putting them on a route that could take them to the Middle East. US media, citing unnamed officials, reported the carrier was heading toward the region. Diplomatic pressure on Tehran also mounted as the World Economic Forum withdrew an invitation for Iran’s Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi to speak at its annual meeting in Davos, citing the loss of civilian lives in Iran. The Munich Security Conference also cancelled invitations for Iranian officials. According to the US-based Human Rights Activists News Agency, at least 4,029 people have been killed since protests erupted on Dec 28 over Iran’s struggling economy. The group said most of the dead were demonstrators, along with members of the security forces, children and bystanders. It also reported more than 26,000 arrests. Iranian authorities have not released an official death toll. Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei on Saturday said the unrest had left “several thousand” people dead and blamed the United States for the violence.

Iranian Ambassador to Bangladesh Jalil Rahimi Jahanabadi on Monday expressed optimism that Bangladesh would move towards progress and prosperity through an acceptable and peaceful election in the country. “I hope that there will be peaceful and acceptable elections, and Bangladesh will move towards progress and prosperity,” he said while responding to a question during an interaction at the Embassy, stressing that the people of Bangladesh are politically conscious and generous. The Ambassador said Iran does not want war; however, if attacked, Iran has the right to self-defence according to Article 51 of the UN Charter. Article 51 says ‘Nothing in the present Charter shall impair the inherent right of individual or collective self-defence if an armed attack occurs against a Member of the United Nations, until the Security Council has taken measures necessary to maintain international peace and security. Measures taken by Members in the exercise of this right of self-defence shall be immediately reported to the Security Council and shall not in any way affect the authority and responsibility of the Security Council under the present Charter to take at any time such action as it deems necessary in order to maintain or restore international peace and security.’ The Ambassador said the situation in Iran is calm now and internet services will return to normal within a few days. He said Iran's economy is under pressure due to US sanctions and the value of Iran's currency against foreign currencies is fragile. Seeking a remedy, businessmen, especially importers, began peaceful protests on December 28, which is legal under Iran's existing law, said Ambassador Jahanabadi. But within a week, he said, one party began widespread attacks on government and private establishments, police stations, and businesses that were unwilling to join the movement. “Security forces took action to control the situation.” The Ambassador claimed that an armed group entered the protesters and killed more than a hundred policemen. Some members of the security forces were killed by slitting their throats, he said, adding that after the attack on the hospitals, killing nurses, and burning ambulances one after another and fire brigade vehicles after another, the security forces took a tough stance. After listening to conversations through surveillance devices and from various credible sources, including the statements of those arrested, the security forces were convinced that this was not an ordinary movement but a violent plan to overthrow the government.  

Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei has accused actors linked to the United States and Israel of being responsible for the killing of “several thousands” of people during weeks of antigovernment protests across the country. “Those linked to Israel and US caused massive damages and killed several thousands” during the protests that shook Iran for more than two weeks, Khamenei said on Saturday. He alleged direct involvement by the two countries in the violence and described US President Donald Trump as a “criminal”. “The latest anti-Iran sedition was different in that the US president personally became involved,” Iranian state media quoted him as saying. Iranian authorities have increasingly blamed foreign powers for the unrest, accusing long-time geopolitical rivals, particularly Israel and the United States, of fuelling instability and directing operations inside the country. Khamenei warned that while Iran would avoid escalating tensions beyond its borders, those it considers responsible would face consequences. “We will not drag the country into war, but we will not let domestic or international criminals go unpunished,” he said. Reporting from Tehran via satellite, Al Jazeera correspondent Resul Serdar Atas said Khamenei’s remarks largely echoed Iran’s long-held position but also introduced a new claim about the scale of casualties. Read More: Iran’s supreme leader warns of harsh response as protests continue Khamenei alleged a deeper level of US involvement than in previous unrest. “He said that in previous protests there was a low level of intervention of the Americans, but this time the president of the United States was a central figure in this international plot against Iran,” Atas added. What stood out, however, was the size of the alleged death toll. “One thing that is new in his speech is that for the first time he is actually giving a sense of the numbers of people killed,” Atas said. “He is saying that the violent protesters have killed thousands of people.” There is still no confirmed death toll, though US-based rights group HRANA says a further 3,000 have been killed in the protests. Until now, Iranian officials had publicly acknowledged hundreds of deaths, including members of the security forces. Khamenei’s statement marks the first time Iran’s top authority has spoken of casualties in the thousands. Atas noted that the claim partly aligns with assessments by some international human rights organisations. “They have been saying that the death toll is much higher than what is being publicly announced by the officials,” he said. Iranian officials also say around 3,000 people have been arrested in connection with the protests. Read More: Iran signals swift trials, executions despite Trump warning Khamenei further accused protesters of widespread destruction, “including burning more than 250 mosque and medical facilities”, Atas said. According to Iran’s official account, demonstrations initially began peacefully over rising prices and economic hardship on December 28 in several cities. “The government was acknowledging their demands and the hardships that they are facing,” Atas said, adding that authorities now argue the protests were later “hijacked by the violent protests who were receiving orders from the outside powers”. Iranian officials claim those involved were “equipped, financed, and trained” by foreign actors, with Khamenei placing Trump “in the centre of this plot”. The semiofficial Fars News Agency reported on Saturday that authorities had restored the short messaging service (SMS) nationwide as part of a phased plan following eight days of near-total internet disruption.

Reza Pahlavi, the exiled son of Iran’s last shah, has called on the international community to support protesters seeking to overthrow Iran’s government, saying the fall of the Islamic Republic is inevitable. Speaking at a news conference in Washington, Pahlavi said the world should help the protesters and urged “surgical” strikes on Iran’s Revolutionary Guards to weaken the authorities and prevent further loss of life. Protests erupted across Iran on Dec 28 over the country’s weak economy and falling currency. The demonstrations later turned into calls for the end of the rule of Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei. Human rights groups say more than 2,000 protesters have been killed in the crackdown. The Iranian government has described the unrest as riots backed by foreign enemies. Pahlavi said parts of Iran’s security forces have refused to join the crackdown and claimed that foreign militia fighters were brought in to suppress the protests. He vowed to return to Iran and outlined plans for a new constitution based on democracy, individual freedom, and separation of religion and state. He said Iran’s future leadership should be decided by its people. “I am trying to help them liberate themselves,” he said. The protests began after shopkeepers in Tehran went on strike over rising prices and quickly spread nationwide. Demonstrators have chanted slogans against the Supreme Leader and the clerical leadership.   With inputs from BBC

The death toll from a crackdown on protests in Iran jumps to at least 2,571, activists said early Wednesday. The figure came from the U.S.-based Human Rights Activists News Agency, which has been accurate in multiple rounds of unrest in Iran in recent years. The activist group said 2,403 of the dead were protesters and 147 were government-affiliated. Twelve children were killed, along with nine civilians it said were not taking part in protests. More than 18,100 people have been detained, the group said. With the internet down in Iran, gauging the demonstrations from abroad has grown more difficult. The Associated Press has been unable to independently assess the toll. Iran’s government has not offered overall casualty figures. Trump urges Tehran to show humanity toward protesters That death toll dwarfs the death toll from any other round of protest or unrest in Iran in decades and recalls the chaos surrounding the country’s 1979 Islamic Revolution. Iranians reach out, but world can't reach in Several people in Tehran were able to call the AP on Tuesday and speak to a journalist. The AP bureau in Dubai, United Arab Emirates, was unable to call those numbers back. Witnesses said text messaging was still down, and internet users in Iran could connect to government-approved websites locally but nothing abroad. Anti-riot police officers wore helmets and body armor while carrying batons, shields, shotguns and tear gas launchers, according to the witnesses. Police stood watch at major intersections. Nearby, witnesses saw members of the Revolutionary Guard's all-volunteer Basij force, who carried firearms and batons. Security officials in plainclothes were visible in public spaces. Several banks and government offices were burned during the unrest, witnesses said. Banks struggled to complete transactions without the internet, they added. Trump tells Iranians “help is on its way” amid deadly protests Shops were open, though there was little foot traffic in the capital. Tehran's Grand Bazaar, where the demonstrations began Dec. 28 over the collapse of Iran's rial currency, opened Tuesday. A witness described speaking to multiple shopkeepers who said security forces ordered them to reopen no matter what. Iranian state media did not acknowledge that order. The witnesses spoke on condition of anonymity for fear of reprisal. It also appeared that security service personnel were searching for Starlink terminals, as people in northern Tehran reported authorities raiding apartment buildings with satellite dishes. While satellite television dishes are illegal, many in the capital have them in homes, and officials broadly had given up on enforcing the law in recent years. On the streets, people also could be seen challenging plainclothes security officials, who were stopping passersby at random. State television also read a statement about mortuary and morgue services being free — a signal that some likely charged high fees for the release of bodies amid the crackdown. Khamenei, in a statement carried by state TV, praised the tens of thousands who took part in pro-government demonstrations nationwide on Monday. Russia strikes Ukraine with drones and missiles amid freezing winter “This was a warning to American politicians to stop their deceit and not rely on traitorous mercenaries,” he said. “The Iranian nation is strong and powerful and aware of the enemy.” State TV on Monday aired chants from the crowd, which appeared to number in the tens of thousands. They chanted “Death to America!” and “Death to Israel!” Others cried out, “Death to the enemies of God!” Iran’s attorney general has warned that anyone taking part in protests will be considered an “enemy of God,” a death-penalty charge.

US President Donald Trump has called on Iranians to continue protesting against their government, saying “help is on its way.” He urged protesters to take note of the names of those responsible for killings and abuses. Trump cancelled meetings with Iranian officials until the violent crackdown on protesters stops. Thousands of people are feared dead after weeks of anti-government protests. Human rights groups estimate around 1,847 protesters have died, including children and security personnel. Iranian authorities have sentenced some protesters to death. One, 26-year-old Erfan Soltani, is reportedly due to be executed on Jan 14. Families say the process is fast, raising fears of execution without notice. Iranian security forces also seized a large shipment of Starlink satellite internet kits, alleging they were intended for espionage and sabotage. Use of Starlink devices is illegal in Iran, and internet blackouts are ongoing. Meanwhile, the UK government has summoned the Iranian ambassador over the crackdown. Foreign Secretary Yvette Cooper called the violence “the most brutal and bloody repression against public protests in Iran for at least 13 years” and said the UK plans to push for further sanctions in coordination with the EU and the UN. Trump’s threats have drawn criticism from Iran’s officials and Russia. Ali Larijani, adviser to Iran’s Supreme Leader, blamed Trump for protest deaths. Russia’s foreign ministry called US threats of strikes “categorically unacceptable” and warned of serious consequences in the Middle East. The White House said Trump’s national security team is discussing possible options for intervention in Iran. It is unclear what kind of “help” the president intends or when it might come. Economic sanctions are also escalating. Trump announced a 25% US tariff on trade with Iran’s partners. Analysts warn enforcement may be difficult, and secondary sanctions could further harm Iran’s struggling economy, already affected by inflation, reduced oil exports, and trade restrictions. Internet blackouts and censorship continue to make verification of events inside Iran difficult. Human rights groups say the shutdowns violate international law and limit the ability to document abuses. The protests and international response highlight growing tension over Iran’s human rights record, economic crisis, and geopolitical position.   With inputs from BBC

 Mobile phones in Iran were able to make some international calls on Tuesday, days after authorities shut down the internet and blocked overseas connections amid a nationwide crackdown on protests. Several residents in Tehran managed to reach journalists at The Associated Press, though the AP bureau in Dubai said it could not call those numbers back. Iranians said text messaging was still not working, and witnesses reported that internet access remained cut off from the outside world. Iran imposed the shutdown on Thursday as protests intensified across the country. US President Donald Trump said Iran wants to negotiate with Washington after he warned of possible military action over Tehran’s handling of the protests. Activists say at least 646 people have been killed during the unrest. Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi told Qatar-based Al Jazeera in an interview aired Monday night that he has continued to communicate with US envoy Steve Witkoff. The contacts “continued before and after the protests and are still ongoing,” Araghchi said, adding that Washington’s proposals and threats toward Iran are “incompatible.” White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt said Iran’s public statements differ from the private messages the US administration has received in recent days. “The president has an interest in exploring those messages,” Leavitt said. “However, the president has also shown he is not afraid to use military options if and when he believes it is necessary, and nobody knows that better than Iran.” Meanwhile, large pro-government rallies took to the streets on Monday in a show of support for the ruling system after days of protests that directly challenged the leadership of 86-year-old Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei. Iranian state television broadcast scenes of crowds, appearing to be in the tens of thousands, chanting slogans including “Death to America!” and “Death to Israel!” Others shouted, “Death to the enemies of God!” What to know about Iran protests as government shuts down internet, phone networks Iran’s attorney general has warned that anyone taking part in protests will be treated as an “enemy of God,” a charge that carries the death penalty.

U.S. President Donald Trump has announced a 25 percent tariff on goods from countries that maintain commercial ties with Iran, effective immediately, according to media reports. Trump posted the measure on Truth Social that the tariff was “effective immediately”, without providing details on what would constitute “doing business” with Iran, the BBC reported. The announcement did not clarify what activities would qualify as “doing business” with Iran. China is Iran’s largest trading partner, followed by Iraq, the United Arab Emirates, Turkey, and India. The new tariff comes amid rising tensions over protests in Iran triggered by the sharp decline of the national currency, the rial. White House spokeswoman Karoline Leavitt said military options, including air strikes, remain “on the table.” Read More: Iran wants to negotiate as death toll mounts to 599, says Trump Trump also claimed Iranian officials had contacted him for negotiations but suggested that action might be taken before talks occur. Iran has been struggling under international sanctions related to its nuclear program, compounded by government mismanagement and corruption. In late December, shopkeepers in Tehran staged protests over another steep fall in the rial’s value against the U.S. dollar.