Cyprus Times

Iranian Official: At Least 5,000 Confirmed Dead in Protests

Published January 18, 2026, 20:06
Iranian Official: At Least 5,000 Confirmed Dead in Protests

An Iranian official stated that at least 5,000 people have been killed in protests in Iran, including 500 members of the security forces. The official accused “terrorists and armed rioters” of the death of “innocent Iranians”. The clashes were particularly intense in the Kurdish regions of northwestern Iran, where protests were more violent in previous periods of instability. The official estimated that the death toll is not expected to rise dramatically and claimed that Israel and foreign armed forces supported and armed the protesters.