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Iran entered a third week of nationwide anti-government protests on Monday as a U.S.-based rights group said at least 544 people have been killed, while authorities kept the country largely cut off from the outside world with an ongoing internet blackout.
The Human Rights Activists News Agency (HRANA), which tracks unrest in Iran, said the death toll includes at least eight children. More than 10,000 people have reportedly been arrested since demonstrations erupted more than two weeks ago. The figures could not be independently verified, largely because Iran has shut down internet and phone access nationwide.
The unrest has spilled beyond Iran’s borders. In Los Angeles, police detained a person after a truck drove into a crowd of demonstrators protesting the Iranian government.
Cybersecurity watchdog NetBlocks said Iran’s communications blackout has now lasted more than 84 hours, with connectivity at times dropping to nearly zero. The shutdown has made it difficult to assess the true scale of the crackdown or confirm casualty numbers.
Protests have spread across major cities, with demonstrators demanding political change and security forces responding with force. Iranian authorities have deployed multiple security units, including the Basij, a feared paramilitary group linked to the elite Revolutionary Guard and long used to suppress dissent.
The Basij, formed after Iran’s 1979 Islamic Revolution, operates under the direct authority of the country’s supreme leader and has a history of violently dispersing protests. The group has previously been sanctioned by the United States for human rights abuses and is now playing a central role in the current crackdown, according to activists and state-linked media.
Tensions are also rising internationally.
U.S. President Donald Trump said Iran had “called to negotiate,” as his administration considers possible military options. Iranian officials quickly pushed back, with the country’s parliamentary speaker warning that any American military or commercial bases in the region would be treated as legitimate targets if the U.S. intervenes.
Iran’s Revolutionary Guard accused the United States and Israel of fueling the unrest, calling the protests part of a broader foreign-backed campaign against the country. State-affiliated media reported that more than 100 members of Iran’s security forces have been killed since the demonstrations began.
The unrest has spilled beyond Iran’s borders. In Los Angeles, police detained a person after a truck drove into a crowd of demonstrators protesting the Iranian government.
BREAKING:
— Laura Loomer (@LauraLoomer) January 12, 2026
Vehicular Jihad in Los Angeles! A person driving a U-Haul with a banner on it that says “No Shah” just rammed into a group of Iranian protestors in Los Angeles who were rallying in support of the Iranian protestors fighting for their freedom!
Would not be surprised… pic.twitter.com/1JKzDMxDc9
In Europe, Iran summoned Britain’s ambassador after a protester in London tore down the Iranian flag from the country’s embassy.
The escalating crisis is being closely watched in Cyprus and the wider Eastern Mediterranean, where U.S. and British military facilities play a key strategic role. Any expansion of the conflict, particularly involving American forces, could have regional ripple effects, given Cyprus’ proximity to the Middle East and its long-standing role as a logistical and diplomatic hub during regional crises.
*With information from CNN
