• At least 35 people have died in ongoing protests across Iran, with over 1,200 detained.
• The protests started in December over economic grievances and have escalated to anti-government sentiments.
• US President Trump has warned of possible intervention if security forces violently suppress protests.
• Security forces have used tear gas and live ammunition against demonstrators, resulting in significant casualties.
• Authorities have faced criticism for actions, including storming hospitals to detain the injured.

The death toll in the recent protests in Iran has surged to at least 35, according to the Human Rights Activists News Agency (HRANA), which reports that more than 1,200 individuals have been detained amidst escalating unrest that began late December. Protests have spread across over 250 locations in 27 of Iran's 31 provinces, driven by widespread anger over rising inflation and the plummeting value of the national currency, the rial, currently trading at approximately 1.47 million rials per US dollar, coinciding with a severe economic crisis exacerbated by mismanagement and international sanctions, according to SCMP, Reuters, and ABC News.

The protests, initially sparked by economic hardship, have transitioned into broader anti-government demonstrations, marked by chants against the Islamic Republic's leadership. Security forces, reportedly employing tear gas and live ammunition, have clashed with demonstrators. Iranian authorities have acknowledged that at least two members of the security forces have also died in the unrest, highlighting the increasing volatility of the situation, according to BBC and CBS News.

US President Donald Trump has intensified the pressure on Tehran by threatening intervention if Iranian forces resort to violence against peaceful protesters. On social media, he stated, "If Iran violently kills peaceful protesters, the United States will come to their rescue," marking a significant escalation in US-Iran tensions as the protests continue into their tenth day, according to Reuters and India Times.

Protesters have reported instances of violence against them from security forces, including raids on hospitals where wounded demonstrators sought refuge. HRANA has documented serious allegations against Iranian authorities for their tactics in suppressing dissent, which reportedly included using shotguns to shoot into crowds and employing tear gas aggressively, drawing condemnation from international human rights organizations such as Amnesty International. The efforts by some in the Iranian government to initiate dialogue with protesters indicate the increasing pressure they feel in the face of ongoing demonstrations, according to SCMP and India Times.

As protests continue, they have not yet reached the scope seen during the unrest following the death of Mahsa Amini in 2022-2023, but authorities remain on edge. President Masoud Pezeshkian has mandated investigations into incidents, particularly those resulting in fatalities and controversy, such as actions taken in the Ilam province where allegations of excessive force have surfaced. The scale of the unrest poses significant questions regarding the stability of Iran's leadership, especially as public frustration grows in light of the compounded economic crises, according to Reuters, ABC News, and BBC.