President Donald Trump is assuring Iranian protesters that “help is on the way” after new reports estimated the number of citizens killed during the demonstrations against the Islamic Republic to be in the thousands.
Trump, writing via Truth Social, told the “Iranian patriots” to “keep protesting” and that he will not be meeting with Iranian authorities until the end of the violence, which has thus far killed more than 2,000 people, according to Human Rights Activists in Iran, a U.S.-based humanitarian and investigative nonprofit organization documenting the carnage.
“Iranian Patriots, KEEP PROTESTING – TAKE OVER YOUR INSTITUTIONS!!! Save the names of the killers and abusers. They will pay a big price,” the president said on Tuesday morning. “I have cancelled all meetings with Iranian Officials until the senseless killing of protesters STOPS. HELP IS ON ITS WAY.”
The report released Tuesday put the death count at 2,003 people, which includes 135 people who were affiliated with the government.
A senior Iranian health ministry official, speaking to the New York Times under condition of anonymity, put the death toll estimate closer to 3,000. Over 16,000 people have reportedly been detained.
The protests, sparked by an economic collapse, have sustained for over two weeks and spread across the nation’s provinces.
Islamic Republic officials at first delineated between “protesters” and “rioters” — the former taking part in peaceful demonstrations and the latter committing violence or coordinated destruction of government buildings.
But as the demonstrations have escalated, that differentiation seems to have largely evaporated.
Iranian Crown Prince Reza Pahlavi is asserting himself as the preeminent organizer of anti-regime efforts. The son of the former Shah has lived in exile from Iran for decades but has dedicated his post-royal life to advocating a democratic Iran.
“This is a war, and war has casualties,” Pahlavi told NBC News on Monday. “In fact, in order to preserve and protect and minimize the death toll, minimize innocent victims, yet again, being killed by this regime, action is needed. The regime is going to try and brutalize its citizenry as it has always.”
Trump previously warned that if the Iranian government used violence against the protesters, the U.S. military would “come to their rescue,” adding that it is “locked and loaded and ready to go.”
Military intervention remains on the table, he told reporters aboard Air Force One on Monday.
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“We’re looking at it very seriously. The military is looking at it, and we’re looking at some very strong options. We’ll make a determination,” Trump said.
Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi claimed on Monday night to be in communication with U.S. special envoy Steve Witkoff, but the president’s latest Truth Social post seems to indicate those negotiations are suspended.
