Iranian protesters rally amid burning tires during a demonstration, Isfahan, Nov. 16, 2019. (AFP Photo)
A Dec. 16 report by Amnesty International said the death toll was at least 304. The U.S. State Department, in a statement to Reuters, said it estimates that many hundreds of Iranians were killed, and has seen reports that the number could be over 1,000. Two of the Iranian officials who provided the figures to Reuters said they were based on information gathered from security forces, morgues, hospitals and coroner’s offices.
The protests that broke out across the country from Nov. 15 were ignited by a price hike on fuel, a heavily subsidized commodity by one of OPEC’s largest producers, as part of an effort to ease pressure on the sanctions-hit economy. However, global insight into the protests and most Iranians’ access to those outside the country was quickly cut off when authorities clamped down on internet access, according to NetBlocks, which monitors internet disruptions.
Source:Dailysabah.com