Over 12,000 feared dead after Iran protests

[Twiglets1]

Report by CBS News:

Information trickling out of Iran on Tuesday suggests that a crackdown by authorities to end more than two weeks of widespread anti-government protests has likely been far more deadly than activists outside the country have reported. With phone lines opening back up for calls from inside the Islamic Republic, two sources, including one inside Iran, told CBS News on Tuesday that at least 12,000, and possibly as many as 20,000 people have been killed.

Britain's Foreign Secretary Yvette Cooper said in Parliament on Tuesday that the U.K. government believed there "may have been 2,000 people killed, there have been more. My fear is that the number may prove to be significantly higher."

The truth has been incredibly difficult to piece together due to Iran's hardline rulers cutting off internet access and phone service in the country for the last five days. While a complete internet shutdown in Iran remained in place for a fifth day, some Iranians were able to make phone calls out of the country on Tuesday, though it was still not possible to call into Iran from outside.

A source inside Iran who was able to call out told CBS News on Tuesday that activist groups working to compile a full death toll from the protests, based on reports from medical officials across the country, believed the toll was at least 12,000, and possibly as high as 20,000.

CBS News has not been able to independently verify the massive death toll indicated by the source, which is some many times larger than the numbers reported by most activist groups independently in recent days — though those groups have always made it clear that their tallies are likely underestimated.

The opposition Iran International television network said Tuesday that its information suggested about 12,000 people were killed. A source in Washington with contacts in Iran told CBS News on Tuesday that a credible source had told him the toll was likely between 10,000 and 12,000.

www.cbsnews.com/news/iran-protest-death-toll-over-12000-feared-higher-video-bodies-at-morgue/

So many in such a short period of time brutally slaughtered. Disgusting.

I wish more could be done to help them.

I hope America helps.

A team in to grab the leadership (like Venezuela)?

Targeted attacks on military sites to show that they mean business?

I'm widely travelled. It's my main interest in life. And if all the places I've visited, Iranians were the most amazing people I've come across. Incredibly friendly, intelligent, cultured, and above all, hospitable and generous.

I was regularly stopped on the streets by locals who wanted to talk to me. And more then anything they wanted to know how I felt about the country. They knew only too well that their government was causing Iran to have a bad reputation in the world. When I enthused about how much I loved the place and the people I'd met, they were so happy.

It breaks my heart to see the death count building so rapidly. And I keep thinking if those people I met, and what's happening to them.

Iran is a very young country, demographically. And those young people are being so courageous.

Trump publicly announced last week that he would take direct action on Iran’s regime if they were to strike down the protestors.

The death toll at the perceived 2,000 was a punch to the gut but the numbers being spoken about now are horrifying.

I’m getting frustrated at the inaction of him and other governments.

Same. I fear their efforts and sacrifices will come to nothing and the regime will remain. We must help them.

Trump will not want to fail. Whatever operation he is planning will need to be successful or he just won’t do it.

I fear it will just be another Syria. And there's absolutely nothing anyone can do. This is what revolution looks like.

What do you suggest should be done? Have you seen Afghanistan, Iraq and Syria?

The Telegraph: US pressure builds on Starmer to ban IRGC

US figures are mounting pressure on Sir Keir Starmer to proscribe Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) as a terrorist group.

On Monday, the Prime Minister declined to designate the ayatollah’s security forces as terrorists, despite the White House telling The Telegraph over the weekend that the decision was “obvious”.

Current and former US officials have since told The Telegraph that the Government’s refusal was “beggars belief” given the IRGC’s role in the brutal suppression of pro-democracy protests in which more than 2,000 people have reportedly been killed.

Jim Risch, the chairman of the senate foreign relations committee, urged the UK to join the US in labelling the organisation terrorists, saying the regime must face “consequences” for perpetrating human rights abuses against the British people.

Mike Pompeo, the former US secretary of state, said that claims of British support for the Iranian people “mean nothing” without action and that decisive measures by the UK are “overdue”.

Downing Street has said proscribing the IRGC would have no effect and would only serve to make Britain feel “better about ourselves”. It remains legal to support the group in the UK.

Western intelligence agencies have accused the IRGC of carrying out covert operations in Britain, including intimidation campaigns, planned kidnappings and surveillance of dissidents.

It also plays a key role in funding Islamic militant groups, including Hamas and Hezbollah, and has been proscribed in Canada, Sweden and the US.

https://www.telegraph.co.uk/us/news/2026/01/13/starmer-irgc-iran-ban-uk-us-trump/

What good would that do for the people in Iran? .... i guess it isn't because we can monitor their activities more easily? and would remove a diplomatic ch into the regime - not much good for uk citizens held in jail.

BUT its very odd that Palestinian Action IS banned but IRGC is not...

I'm all for stopping the killing but i really don't see what would work...

Bomb military bases, will also kill civilians, Nuclear facilities? wont stop killing on the streets... in fact military action may well lead to further crack downs, we could bomb energy infrastructure but that would further wreck their economy, hurting ordinary people, not the regime.

I think Trump is adding to the death toll, promising "help" when none is really coming.

I’m not a politician nor a military body - I’m a 52 year old woman who is using a social media chatroom to air her frustrations and heartbreak at a terrible and escalating situation thousands of miles away, such is my right to do that.

I don’t profess to know anything, but I’m allowed to comment, yes?

What good did it do the people of Gaza for Starmer to recognise a Palestinian state at at time when a 2 state solution was impossible?

Some people would call that performative but he did it presumably to show solidarity with Palestinian people.

As you say, if Palestinian Action is banned then so could IRGC be and at least it would demonstrate the UK stance towards terrorist organisations & regimes a bit more strongly than mere words.

Of course you are and your comments are as valuable as anybody else's.

No one has all the answers but we're still allowed to have opinions about the awful situation in Iran right now!

Well, it was pointless, didn't stop the killing in Gaza, i assume the reason the IRGC wasn't banned under the last Tory Govt was for good reason?

I just don't see what practical help we or anyone else can do, which doesn't cause even more harm to the Iranian people.

Its a bit rich listening to Pritti Patel yesterday tearing into Cooper, when the Con policy is to return ALL Iranians inc women and children back to Iran & to other brutal regimes too.

Sure - I think one thing governments could do collectively is agree to each take their share of refugees. I won't be holding my breath givrn Trump's stance on immigration. But any military intervention would be a disaster.

Can you have a thread without mentioning the Palestinian protesters ffs. What about the thousands that came for Tommys save the country March. You don’t see much of them showing their support

Does anyone remember the story about a young woman arrested for dancing to the Happy video, that went viral? I can’t remember the details. I wonder where she and her friends are now.

Eleven years ago.

Spot on. There’s no white right wing man pulling the strings here, so they couldn’t care less. They’re despicable.

Not really, the killing of Gazan's is being done with western weapons, by a Govt backed 100% by the West... 70k deaths and counting.

None of this is true about Iran.

It seems to have been the UK government position up to now that it's better not to rock the boat with the Iran leadership but maybe the killing of thousands of their own citizens has rather changed this, diplomatically.

Agree about Pritti Patel - most of our politicians seem such hypocrites and she is no exception.

I would like to know the reasoning for not banning, from the outside, PA seems all rather tame compared to the activities of the IRGC, even on UK soil.

Yet 1000s have been arrested for supporting PA.

But i could march through London today wearing and waving IRGC stuff.... all legal.

I remember this too

And me ... they've gone very quiet now.

Very sad news on the deaths.
I hope the people are able to overthrow this evil very soon.
I hope America follows up very fast.

They are very quiet now the Palestinian supporters.
It stands out massively whether you want it to be mentioned or not.