Death toll in Iran protests tops 50, including children - media
On Friday, protesters took to the streets of Iranian cities for the 13th day in a row, despite government threats of tough measures and reports that security forces had opened fire and killed demonstrators over the past day. More than 50 people have been killed in the protests.
This was reported by sources of reporters for The Times of Israel and Reuters.
Over 51 protesters have been killed in 13 days of protests in Iran, sparked by anger against the regime and the rising cost of living, the Norwegian human rights organization NGO Iran Human Rights reported on Friday.
"At least 51 protesters, including nine children under the age of 18, have been killed and hundreds injured in the first thirteen days of a new round of nationwide protests in Iran," the NGO Iran Human Rights said, up from an earlier figure of 45 given a day earlier.
However, the Iranian human rights group HRANA said on Friday that it had recorded at least 62 deaths, including 14 security forces and 48 protesters.
US President Donald Trump, who bombed Iran last summer and warned Tehran last week that the US could support the protesters, issued another warning on Friday, saying: "You better not start shooting, because we will start shooting too."
"I just hope that the protesters in Iran are safe, because it is a very dangerous place right now," he added.
In a televised address, Iran's Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei vowed not to back down, accusing the demonstrators of acting in the interests of opposition groups abroad and the United States, while a prosecutor threatened the protesters with the death penalty.
Iran's Ministry of Information and Communications Technology said the decision to shut down the Internet was taken by "competent security agencies in light of the current situation in the country."
Videos released by state television purportedly showed burning buses, cars and motorbikes, as well as fires in underground metro stations and banks.
A video reviewed by Reuters showed hundreds of people protesting in Tehran. In one, a woman could be heard shouting "Death to Khamenei!"
Other slogans included calls for support for the monarchy, which was overthrown in 1979.
The leaders of France, Britain and Germany issued a joint statement on Friday condemning the killings of protesters and calling on the Iranian authorities to refrain from violence.
UN spokesman Stephane Dujarric said the United Nations was deeply concerned about the loss of life.
It should be recalled that, as Ukrainian News Agency reported, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs recommended that Ukrainian citizens leave Iran due to the worsening security situation in the country.