Iran labels protest detainees following exiled prince’s call as "criminals"

Iran’s Justice Minister Amirhossein Rahimi declared that individuals who were arrested following a call for protests by exiled Prince Reza Pahlavi on January 8 are considered criminals.

“Anyone who was on the streets after January 8 and was arrested is a criminal,” Rahimi said, emphasizing the government’s hardline stance on the recent demonstrations, Iran International reports.

Iranian Crown Prince Reza Pahlavi assured protesters in the ongoing demonstrations against the government that American help was coming while also urging Iran’s army to abandon the regime and join the opposition.

“My compatriots,” Pahlavi began in his statement, posted to X. “By now, you have probably heard the message from the President of the United States. Help is on the way. Continue the fight, as you have done so far.”

More than 2,000 people have been killed during the violent crackdown by security forces on protests in Iran, a human rights group has said.

The US-based Human Rights Activists News Agency (HRANA) reported that it had so far confirmed the killing of 1,850 protesters, 135 people affiliated with the government and nine uninvolved civilians as well as nine children over the last 17 days despite an internet blackout.

An Iranian official also said that 2,000 people had been killed but that "terrorists" were to blame.

Trump will attend a meeting about Iran on Tuesday evening, and has pledged to get "accurate " death toll figures.

By Vafa Guliyeva