An Iranian state security body says over 200 people have lost their lives during the protests following the death of Mahsa Amini in mid-September.

In a statement on Saturday, the country’s Security Council said over two hundred people were killed during nationwide “riots”, a figure significantly lower than what human rights groups have released.

The judiciary's Mizan news agency quoted the interior ministry’s state security council as saying that security forces, people killed in terrorist acts, “rioters” and armed members of separatist groups have been among the dead.

However, the interior ministry has not acknowledged that regime forces have killed dozens of civilians using live rounds and direct fire.

The body has also warned the protesters that any illegal gathering would be dealt with decisively. This comes as according to the Oslo-based Iran Human Rights Organization at least 448 people including 60 children and 29 women have been killed by security forces in the ongoing nationwide protests.

The US-based Human Rights Activists News Agency (HRANA) announced in its latest report that at least 469 protestors have been killed, of which at least 64 were minors.

An Iranian Revolutionary Guard commander November 29 put the number of dead at three hundred in a contradiction with the numbers released by the interior ministry.

Iran blames “enemies” for the civil unrest, pointing at the United States, other Western powers, and Israel.