Iran Says It’s Open to Talks as Death Toll Rises Past 500

The nationwide Iran protests over inflation and the collapsing rial have turned deadlier, with rights monitors reporting more than 500 deaths and thousands detained. US President Donald Trump has said Washington is examining military options, while demonstrations backing Iranian protesters continue in several countries, including Germany and the United States.

US-based rights group HRNA has reported at least 490 protesters and 48 security personnel killed during the last two weeks of unrest, taking the total death toll past 500. Activists cited by Reuters say the overall figure has reached 538. More than 10,600 people have been arrested during this period, according to the same rights networks.

Iran protests death toll and arrests

Data from activists and rights organisations linked to the Iran protests show a rapidly rising casualty count and large-scale detentions. Demonstrations first erupted on 28 December over soaring prices and inflation. Since then, security forces and protesters have both suffered fatalities, while prisons across Iran have reportedly seen a sharp influx of detainees from the streets.

To clarify the current picture of the Iran protests, rights groups have provided the following figures:

Iran protests and Trump’s military options

Donald Trump has repeatedly raised the possibility of United States involvement as the Iran protests grow. Speaking with reporters aboard Air Force One on Sunday, Trump again said military steps are under consideration. The comments follow several earlier warnings from Washington about a potential response to the Iranian authorities’ handling of the unrest.

Trump said, "It looks like (the line has been crossed)... Some people, who were not supposed to be killed, have been killed... If you talk about leaders, I don't know if they are leaders or just rule through violence... But we and the military are looking at it very seriously, and we are looking at some very strong options," according to reporters travelling with the president.

The US president also claimed Iran’s leadership has recently reached out following warnings linked to the Iran protests. Trump stated, 'The leaders of Iran called" yesterday, he told reporters aboard Air Force One, adding that "a meeting is being set up... They want to negotiate." Trump nevertheless cautioned that "we [the US] may have to act before a meeting."

Iran protests and government crackdown narrative

Inside the country, Iranian officials have intensified their response to the Iran protests, which began on 28 December. State media reports say authorities see the unrest as part of "terrorist actions led by the United States and Israel," with references to the 12-day war with Israel last year. Tehran has publicly accused Washington and Israel of "fomenting trouble" during the current crisis.

As demonstrations continued, the government has encouraged counter-rallies against what officials describe as foreign interference driving the Iran protests. Supporters of the authorities have been urged to march against United States and Israeli influence. At the same time, security forces have moved to suppress gatherings over inflation and the falling currency in numerous towns and cities.

Iran protests spark global solidarity rallies

Anger over the situation and reports of "mass killings" in Tehran has triggered solidarity marches linked to the Iran protests in other countries. In Berlin, protesters carried placards and banners criticising Iran’s leadership during a rally on 10 January 2026. Demonstrators voiced support for those confronting rising prices and demanding political change inside Iran.

In the United States, people also gathered to back the Iran protests and condemn the crackdown. In Los Angeles, a rally was briefly disrupted when a U-Haul truck allegedly tried to drive toward the crowd. According to an Associated Press report, police stopped the vehicle several blocks away, where protesters then surrounded the truck and attempted to attack the driver.

Iran protests and message from exiled prince

From outside the country, exiled prince Reza Pahlavi has appealed directly to those working for the state as the Iran protests continue. Pahlavi, son of Iran’s ousted Shah, urged security forces and government employees to "stand with the people" rather than back the current leadership during the crackdown on demonstrators across the country.

Pahlavi wrote, "Employees of state institutions, as well as members of the armed and security forces, have a choice: stand with the people and become allies of the nation, or choose complicity with the murderers of the people," after rights groups warned of "mass killings" by authorities responding to the Iran protests. The message added further international pressure on Tehran’s security strategy.

The Iran protests have therefore moved from local anger over inflation to a conflict drawing in external powers, exiled figures and global demonstrators. With hundreds reported dead, thousands detained and the United States openly reviewing military options, both the government and its opponents are under scrutiny, while future developments remain centred on events inside Iranian streets.