Iranian Authorities Say the Death Toll from Riots Reached 2,000 People

JAKARTA - At least 2,000 people have died, including security personnel, in protests that have evolved into riots in Iran, an official said on Tuesday, the first time authorities have acknowledged the death toll during two weeks of nationwide protests.

The Iranian official, speaking to Reuters, said the so-called terrorists were behind the deaths of the demonstrators and security personnel, although he did not provide details of who had died, as quoted on Wednesday (14/1).

It is known that the protests broke out on December 28 in the Grand Bazaar of Tehran in connection with the sharp depreciation of the Iranian rial and the worsening economic conditions, which then spread to several cities.

On December 30, students joined the riots. The riots spread to most major cities.

The protests reached their peak on the night of January 8, when at least 13 civilians, including a child, were killed by the actions of the rioters. The authorities reported the deaths of 38 law enforcement officers.

The mayor of Tehran, Alireza Zakani, said rioters burned 25 mosques, damaged 26 banks, three health centers, 10 government buildings, more than 100 fire trucks, buses, and ambulances, and 24 apartments.

The unrest, triggered by poor economic conditions, has been the biggest internal challenge for the Iranian government for at least three years and comes amid increased international pressure following Israeli and US attacks last year.

Iran's clerical government, in power since the 1979 revolution, has tried to take a dual approach to the demonstrations, calling protests over economic problems legitimate while imposing harsh security crackdowns.

They accused the US and Israel of fomenting the unrest and said unnamed people they described as terrorists had hijacked the protests.

A human rights group has previously identified hundreds of dead and said thousands had been arrested.

Communications restrictions, including internet blackouts in recent days, have hampered the flow of information.

Videos of overnight clashes between demonstrators and security forces over the past week, including some that have been verified by Reuters, show violent confrontations with gunfire and burning cars and buildings.