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Last Updated:January 14, 2026, 08:36 IST
Protests in Iran enter third week over economic hardship. Trump promises help for protesters as authorities admit 2,000 deaths and intensify crackdowns and detentions.
Anti-Iranian regime protesters chant slogans and hold placards during a rally. (AFP photo)
As anti-regime protests continue in Iran, US President Donald Trump on Tuesday heightened uncertainty around Washington’s next steps on Iran after saying “help is on its way” for Iranian protesters, before urging Americans to leave the country amid widening unrest.
The remarks came as protests in Iran entered a third week, with demonstrators taking to the streets over economic hardship, political repression and rising prices. Iranian authorities have responded with a sweeping crackdown, including mass arrests and communications blackouts.
According to Reuters, Iranian officials have acknowledged that around 2,000 people have been killed during the unrest, marking the first time authorities have provided an overall death toll. A US-based rights group said most of those killed were protesters and that detentions had surged sharply in recent days.
Meanwhile, CNN quoted US-based Human Rights Activists News Agency (HRANA) stating that at least 2,403 protesters have been killed since the anti-government demonstrations began in late December.
Iran Protests Live Updates: ‘Trump, Netanyahu Are Killers’, Iran’s Ali Larijani Responds To US Threats
After Donald Trump warned Iran against violence and executions, senior Iranian official Ali Larijani hit back, accusing Trump and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu of killing the Iranian people.
Iran Protests Live Updates: US Says It Will Not Tolerate Violence Against Protesters in Iran
The United States State Department has said it will not tolerate violence against protesters in Iran, responding to a query from the Washington Free Beacon amid continuing unrest in the country.
In a strong statement, the department said the US would not accept “massacres in the streets of Iran” and described the protests as a reflection of the Iranian people’s justified anger.
The statement said Iranians are protesting because their government has failed to provide them with a better life. It accused the Iranian regime of neglecting key sectors such as the economy, agriculture, water supply and electricity for decades. Instead, it said, the government has spent the country’s wealth on terrorist proxies and nuclear weapons research.
The State Department also said the Iranian people have been denied basic rights while facing worsening living conditions. It stressed that the protesters want and deserve a better life, adding that their demands are legitimate and rooted in long-standing grievances against the current regime.
Live Update: Exiled Prince Urges Iranians To Continue Their Protests After Trump's 'Help On Its Way' Post
Reza Pahlavi, the exiled son of Iran’s last shah and a prominent voice in the fragmented opposition, in his latest message to Iranians, urged them to continue their fight against the current regime and acknowledged US President Donald Trump’s “help on its way” post.
My compatriots,
The world has not just seen and heard your voice and courage, it is now responding.
By now, you have probably heard the message from the President of the United States. Help is on the way.
Continue the fight, as you have done so far.
Do not allow this regime… https://t.co/KfotmDo0br
— Reza Pahlavi (@PahlaviReza) January 13, 2026
Read More: ‘Continue The Fight’: Reza Pahlavi’s Message To Iranians Amid Trump’s ‘Help On Its Way’ Post
Live Updates: Qatari PM Receives Call From Iran, Says Doha Backs Efforts To 'De-Escalate'
Qatari Prime Minister Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman al-Thani expressed Doha’s support on Tuesday for “all efforts aiming to de-escalate and peaceful solutions” in the Middle East.
The comments came during a phone call he received from Iran’s Supreme Security Council Secretary Ali Larijani, the Gulf country’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs said on X. During the call, he also reiterated Qatar’s support for all efforts that enhance security and stability in the region.
