29-Year-Old Killed on Iranian Island as Rights Group Reports at Least 500 Deaths

A 29-year-old man was killed by security forces during protests on a Persian Gulf island on Saturday evening.

Mahmoud Mousavi died during demonstrations on Qeshm Island, a source told IranWire.

Human Rights Activists in Iran (HRANA), a US-based group, said it had verified the deaths of 490 protesters and 48 security personnel, with more than 10,600 people arrested.

If confirmed, the death toll would make the current uprising one of Iran’s deadliest crackdowns in recent years.

During nationwide protests in November 2019 over fuel prices, rights groups estimated that security forces killed between 300 and 1,500 people, though exact figures remain disputed.

The protests began on December 28 following a sharp currency devaluation and have since spread to dozens of cities across Iran.

Demonstrations intensified on Thursday after the government imposed a nationwide internet shutdown.

Witnesses and rights groups report that security forces initially used tear gas and batons but have increasingly fired live ammunition at protesters.

The communications blackout has made real-time verification of casualties nearly impossible.