The exact number of deaths during the protests in Iran has not yet been fully determined.
Modern.az reports that an Iranian official told Reuters that approximately 2,000 people, including security forces, have died during the protests.
This statement is regarded as the first explicit admission by the authorities of such a high death toll amidst their harsh crackdown on protests that have been ongoing nationwide for two weeks.
The official, who wished to remain anonymous, stated that “terrorists” are responsible for the deaths among both protesters and security forces.
The official did not provide a breakdown of who the deceased were.
Human rights organizations, however, state that they have identified the names of hundreds of deceased individuals so far. Jenny Laurence, spokesperson for the UN Human Rights Office, when asked about the number of deaths, stated, citing the UN's own sources in Iran, that “the figure we hear is in the hundreds.”
In addition, opposition groups operating outside Iran claim that the number of deaths is significantly higher than 2,000. Currently, there remains a significant discrepancy between official and unofficial figures.
