Iran reports 3,117 killed in recent protests

Iranian authorities said 3,117 people were killed during protests that began in late December; activists and rights groups say the true toll may be much higher and an ongoing internet blackout has impeded independent counts.

Iranian authorities announced that 3,117 people were killed during protests that began in late December. The demonstrations began over economic grievances and expanded into a broader movement against the clerical leadership. Activists and rights groups have disputed the official toll and said the real number could be much higher. The protests appear to have eased for now amid a sustained internet blackout that has limited independent verification. Key facts: - Iran's foundation for veterans and martyrs, cited by state media, reported a total of 3,117 deaths and described 2,427 of them as "martyrs". - Norway-based Iran Human Rights and other monitoring groups say available evidence indicates the death toll may be substantially higher and have pointed to a pattern of underreporting. - Internet monitor Netblocks reported the communications blackout has lasted over 300 hours, hampering efforts to verify casualty figures. - Officials organised escorted visits for foreign media and official statements blamed foreign actors for involvement in the unrest. Summary: The official death toll and activist claims present sharply different accounts, and severely limited communications have made independent verification difficult. Undetermined at this time.