Iran rulers fear US strike could reignite protests — Reuters

US Senator Dan Sullivan called on Washington to maintain its support for the Iranian people.

“We need to continue to stand with the brave young men and women of Iran,” Sullivan, the Republican senator representing Alaska, said in a post on X. “The terrorist regime in Iran would be wise to heed the President’s warnings.”

“In a shameful attempt to downplay the scale of the largest street massacre in Iran’s contemporary history, Tehran has sought to cast doubt on the figures reported by Iran International,” the broadcaster’s editorial board said in a statement on Monday.

“Yet the statistics released by the government itself constitute further evidence of their dishonesty.”

The list published by Tehran includes 2,986 names. Fewer than 100 of those overlap with the 6,634 deaths compiled by Iran International since it issued a public call for documentation from families, witnesses and citizen journalists.

The information collected includes victims’ names, photographs, places of residence, circumstances of death and testimony from relatives, gathered despite severe internet restrictions and security pressure on families inside Iran.

Protests erupted in late December and escalated sharply on January 8 and 9, following a call for nationwide action by the exiled prince Reza Pahlavi. The demonstrations were met with a sweeping security crackdown in which thousands were killed and many more wounded or detained.

Iran International has previously put the death toll at at least 36,500, citing leaked official documents—a figure Tehran disputes.

The government’s release of an official “casualties list” appears to have been intended as a rebuttal to that report, but it has instead triggered a backlash.

Critics, including families of victims and activists, have pointed to alleged errors, duplicated identities, inconsistencies in official figures, and the absence of information about unidentified bodies and missing persons.

Iranian officials say the discrepancies stem from the presence of unidentified remains—a claim critics question given the scale of the state’s security and forensic apparatus.

You can read the full statement by Iran International’s editorial board here.

US President Donald Trump shared three Iran-related posts in rapid succession on Truth Social that underscored both pressure and openness to a deal.

The posts linked to segments from Fox News, reflecting a familiar dual-track message.

One featured conservative commentator Mark Levin, who warned that Iran was becoming “the North Korea of the Middle East.” Another highlighted a report describing Trump as open to an Iran deal even as the United States bolsters its military posture in the Middle East.

A third clip quoted a State Department spokesperson saying Trump had been “very clear” in his message to Iran.

The posts suggest an effort by Trump to project firmness while leaving the door open to negotiations, even as direct contacts between US and Iranian officials are reported to be underway in Turkey.

Officials in President Pezeshkian’s government, in a shameful attempt to downplay the scale of the largest street massacre in Iran’s contemporary history, have sought to cast doubt on the figures reported by Iran International. Yet the statistics released by the government itself constitute further evidence of their dishonesty.

Since issuing a public call for the submission of documentation on those killed in the National Revolution, Iran International has received information confirming the deaths of 6,634 individuals. Of these, fewer than 100 namesoverlap with the 2,986-name list published by the Pezeshkian government.

In other words, without access to official institutional data—and relying solely on reports from citizen journalists and the families of those killed, amid intense security pressure and internet restrictions—Iran International has documented, within just 20 days, a death toll more than twice the figure claimed by the government.

The information received includes victims’ names, photographs, cities of residence, circumstances of death, and testimonies provided by families and relatives.

So far, the verified details of 1,141 individuals have been published on the “Truth Registration Map” on Iran International’s website, and this process continues daily.

Since the call was issued, information on an average of nearly 300 additional victims per day has been registered in Iran International’s database. The process of updating figures and documenting victims will therefore continue not only in the coming days, but in the weeks and months ahead.

It must be noted that this vast volume of information has been gathered while internet access remains severely restricted, with millions of Iranians—particularly in smaller and deprived areas—unable to connect. Widespread security pressure and threats against families to prevent them from speaking out have further complicated efforts to collect comprehensive data.

Under these conditions, the courage of those who remain committed to the truth and refuse to allow the memory and names of the victims to be erased has played a decisive role in documenting this crime.

Bodies are still being returned

In its second statement, issued on 5 Bahman (Jan. 25), the Editorial Board of Iran International announced that at least 36,500 people had been killed during the National Revolution.

Verified reports indicate that despite nearly a month having passed since the massacres, the bodies of some protesters are still being returned to their families. Numerous reports received by Iran International also point to dozens of missing persons and the existence of many unidentified bodies.

There are repeated reports of mass burials of victims in various regions, making it impossible to obtain a complete picture of the full scale of the crime at this time.

A government that takes pride in evidence of a crime

Following the publication of its list of the dead, government officials promoted it as though they had released a document worthy of pride.

In an effort to normalize the crime and reduce human lives to mere numbers, the Pezeshkian government called on individuals and media outlets—particularly Iran International—to publish their own figures.

The statistics presented in this statement clearly demonstrate that the government loyal to Khamenei is incapable even of releasing a list aligned with its own narrative.

The government’s published list contains numerous irregularities, including the repetition of at least 25 names with identical national ID numbers, suggesting haste and disorder. Moreover, nearly a month after the killings of 18 and 19 Dey (Jan. 8–9), the figures released do not even match the government’s own claimed number of 3,317 deaths.

The government has attributed this discrepancy to the presence of unidentified bodies. The question remains: how is it that such a vast state apparatus has still failed, after all this time, to identify many of the bodies?

State-affiliated media have also claimed—through a distorted narrative—that large numbers of government agents were killed during the protests, with some officials citing a figure of 200 security personnel. Yet the government’s published list contains no mention of the names or number of these alleged casualties.

Renewed call for submitting documentation

The objective of the Islamic Republic is to conceal an unprecedented crime. The only way to confront this effort is through exposure and transparency.

As emphasized in its original call for documentation, Iran International stands ready to cooperate with human rights organizations, media outlets, journalists, researchers, and independent institutions to document, examine, and ensure international coverage of this crime.

All members of the public—especially the families and relatives of those killed, citizen journalists, and anyone in possession of reliable and verifiable information—are urged to share their documentation with Iran International via the IntelMedia chatbot.

US Senator Rick Scott said Iran was facing mounting internal pressure and urged Washington to intensify its campaign against Tehran.

“Iran is teetering. The regime is terrified, and the people are demanding freedom,” Scott said in a post on X. “The United States must apply maximum pressure. The Ayatollah’s time is up.”