More than 300 Iranians killed in protests, general says

Amir Ali Hajizadeh, a general in Iran’s Revolutionary Guard, told an Iranian website close to the Guard that more than 300 people have been killed since protests started two months ago. Protests started in Iran after the Sept. 16 death of Mahsa Amini while she was in police custody for allegedly wearing her head scarf incorrectly. Police said she died of a heart attack, while many protesters believe police beat her to death. This is Iran’s first official word on casualties in two months, and the country refuses to cooperate with a fact-finding probe from the United Nations.

What do human rights groups say? The U.S.-based group Human Rights Activists News Agency in Iran said the number of protester deaths is closer to 450. They said 60 security personnel have been killed since the unrest started and 18,000 people have been detained. The protests have spread across the country and continue despite the government reacting with tear gas and rubber bullets. 

Dig deeper: Read Bekah McCallum’s report in WORLD Magazine on whether Iran is headed toward another revolution.