Trump Urges Iranians to ‘Take Over Institutions’ as Death Toll Hits 2,000

Taking to his social media platform, Truth Social, Trump urged Iranian "patriots" to maintain their momentum and occupy government institutions. He further warned those responsible for the crackdown, stating that perpetrators of violence must be documented and held accountable. "I have canceled all meetings with Iranian officials until the indiscriminate killing of protesters stops. MIGA (Make Iran Great Again)!" his post read.

The situation on the ground remains dire. A government source told Reuters that nearly 2,000 people, including security personnel and civilians, have been killed over the past two weeks. This marks the first time Iranian authorities have acknowledged such a high casualty count. However, the human rights group HRANA has reported a lower figure of 646 deaths, including 505 protesters and nine children.

The unrest, which began on December 28 in Tehran over a collapsing currency and soaring inflation, has now spread to 187 cities across 31 provinces. With over 10,000 detainees and intensifying rhetoric from Washington, fears of a broader military conflict continue to mount.