Araghchi to Trump: Prove your claim of 32,000 deaths in Iran riots
Iran’s foreign minister has categorically dismissed US President Donald Trump’s claim that 32,000 people were killed in just two days of riots across Iran last month, urging him to prove the claim.
“Fulfilling our pledge of full transparency towards our own people, Iran’s Government has already published a comprehensive list of all 3,117 victims of recent terrorist operation, including about 200 officers,” Araghchi wrote in a post published on his account on the social media platform X on Saturday.
“If anyone disputes accuracy of our data, please share any evidence,” he added.
Trump alleged in a news briefing on Friday that 32,000 people were killed during the January riots in Iran.
He made the remarks while addressing the Supreme Court’s ruling striking down his sweeping tariffs. He did not offer a source for the death toll.
On January 26, Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesperson Esmaeil Baghaei also slammed as “big lie” similar claims made by anti-Iran news outlets.
Baghaei, in a post on his X account at the time, described the circulating figures as a “Hitler-style BIG LIE,” lambasting hostile actors of attempting to manufacture casualties in the media after failing to realize their plans on the ground.
“A Hitler-style BIG LIE: isn’t this the number they planned to kill in the streets of Iran?! They failed, though, and now they’re trying to FAKE it in the media. Truly vicious!” the spokesman said.
Foreign-backed deadly unrest in Iran, fueled by Trump’s war rhetoric and sanctions, hijacked legitimate protests but once again unified Iranians against foreign intervention.
Iran’s Foundation of Martyrs and Veterans Affairs announced in a statement on January 21 that a total of 3,117 people had lost their lives during the riots, adding that 2,427 of those killed were innocent civilians and security personnel.
Iranian officials have linked the riots and terrorist acts to the US and the Israeli regime.
The US and Israel’s Mossad have admitted their involvement on the ground, with former US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo tweeting, “Happy New Year to every Iranian in the streets. Also, to every Mossad agent walking beside them.”
In a Farsi-language social media post, Mossad encouraged rioters to “Go out together into the streets. The time has come,” adding that Mossad agents are with the rioters “not only from a distance and verbally. We are with [them] in the field.”
