Over 100 Protesters Reported Killed in Iran Protest Crackdown

Iran spokesman: Calm has been restored


Since nationwide protests erupted in Iran on Friday over an increase in gasoline prices, there have been multiple reports of violence, though so far Iranian officials have not offered a public accounting of casualties.

Amnesty International, however, says that they have credible reports that at least 106 protesters were killed across 21 cities over the past week. They speculated that the overall toll could be even higher.

Iranian officials did not respond to the death toll claims, but rather downplayed the matter, with judiciary spokesman Gholam Hossein Esmaili telling a news conference that calm has been restored.

UN officials are urging restraint amid the reports, which claim that a number of protesters were killed by sniper fire into the crowds. Exact figures are likely to remain a matter of speculation, even if calm ultimately returns.

Author: Jason Ditz

Jason Ditz is Senior Editor for Antiwar.com. He has 20 years of experience in foreign policy research and his work has appeared in The American Conservative, Responsible Statecraft, Forbes, Toronto Star, Minneapolis Star-Tribune, Providence Journal, Washington Times, and the Detroit Free Press.