Iran protest toll climbs to 5,000

At least 5,000 people have been killed in protests in Iran, including about 500 security personnel, an Iranian official in the region said yesterday, citing verified figures and accusing “terrorists and armed rioters” of killing “innocent Iranians”.

The official also told Reuters some of the heaviest clashes and highest number of deaths were in the Iranian Kurdish areas in northwest Iran, a region where Kurdish separatists have been active and where flare-ups have been among the most violent in past periods of unrest.

“The final toll is not expected to increase sharply,” the official added.

On Saturday, Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei said: “We will not drag the country into war, but we will not let domestic or international criminals go unpunished,” state media reported. Yesterday, the judiciary indicated that executions may go ahead.

“A series of actions have been identified as Mohareb, which is among the most severe Islamic punishments,” Iranian judiciary spokesperson Asghar Jahangir told a press conference.

Mohareb, an Islamic legal term meaning to wage war against God, is punishable by death under Iranian law.

The US-based HRANA rights group said on Saturday the death toll had reached 3,308, with another 4,382 cases under review. The group said it had confirmed more than 24,000 arrests.

Iranian authorities arrested members of the Bahai minority they accused of having been active in what they call “riots”, the Tasnim news agency reported.

The authorities have said they are considering “gradually” restoring internet access after imposing a sweeping communications shutdown across the country more than a week ago, local media reported.

Yesterday morning, AFP was able to connect to the internet from its Tehran office, though the vast majority of internet providers and mobile internet remain cut.

It was not immediately clear why the limited connection was possible. Outgoing international calls have been possible since Tuesday, and text messaging was restored Saturday morning.

Late Saturday, the Tasnim news agency reported “the relevant authorities announced that internet access would also be gradually restored”, but gave no further details.

The clerical establishment regularly blames unrest on foreign enemies, including the United States and Israel - an arch foe of the Islamic Republic which launched military strikes on Iran in June.