Iranian doctors peg death toll at 16,500, majority under age 30; 330,000 injured: Report

The deadly Iran protests have killed more than 16,500 people, according to a report carried by the Sunday Times, based on data compiled by Iranian doctors. It states that 330,000 people have been injured in the anti-regime demonstrations that started weeks ago. The dead include mostly young people under the age of 30. According to several human rights organisations, the confirmed death toll stands at 3,090. But the staff at the hospitals across the country gathered figures from eight major eye hospitals and 16 emergency departments, and the data has pegged the death toll at over 16,500. Iran is under an internet blockade, which has prevented any information from leaking out of the country. The Sunday Times report states that the doctors communicated with each other using Starlink satellite internet, which has been banned in Iran. According to previous reports, Starlink was working in some regions on the borders of Iran. But police forcefully started entering homes and took away the devices to completely clamp down on any availability of the internet.

The doctors also mentioned in the report that there has been a high number of eye injuries. Security forces are reported to be using shotguns, which has led to at least 700 people losing their eyes. The US-based Human Rights Activists News Agency has confirmed that 3,090 people have died in the deadly protests. But human rights groups that have been monitoring the events in Iran have raised concerns that the actual death toll is much higher. Now the data compiled by the doctors also seems to confirm their fears. Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei fir the first time, admitted last week that thousands of people were killed in the country. He also acknowledged that some of these killings were “inhuman” and carried out in a “savage manner”.

Also Read: Iran protests: Pregnant mother of 2, a mountaineer and an activist among women killed in deadly crackdown

Khamenei slams Trump for Iran protests

Khamenei has blamed US President Donald Trump for the unrest in the country. He has slammed him for supporting the protests and called him a “criminal” for supporting the demonstrations. Protesters were also set to be executed in Iran, including 26-year-old Erfan Sotani, according to human rights groups. However, they were halted and Iran claimed there were never any plans to execute the protesters. But there are fears that all the detainees are being tortured and abused in the prisons. Meanwhile, a senior Iranian cleric, Ahmad Khatami, has backed the executions and said the “armed hypocrites should be put to death”.