Iranian Revolutionary Guard Pledges More Severe Retaliation Than Last Month if Fresh Demonstrations Break Out

Iran's Revolutionary Guards, the military's ideological branch, issued a stern warning on Friday, stating that any new protests against the government would be met with an even more severe response than the one seen in January, which resulted in the deaths of several thousand people.

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The Guards made this announcement through a televised statement, accusing the "evil enemy" of attempting to instill fear and incite street riots, and vowed to deliver "a stronger blow than on January 8" if new unrest were to arise.

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This warning comes amidst Iran's ongoing conflict with the United States and Israel, with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu stating that one of the objectives is to create conditions that would allow the Iranian people to overthrow their government.

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US President Donald Trump has also urged Iranians to rise up against their government, further fueling tensions in the region.

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In December, protests initially sparked by the high cost of living in Iran quickly escalated into a broad movement against the authorities, reaching its peak on January 8 with what Iranian authorities described as "riots" allegedly orchestrated by "terrorists" backed by Israel and the United States.

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According to official figures, the death toll from the January protests stands at over 3,000, with the government claiming that the majority of those killed were security personnel or bystanders.

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However, NGOs based abroad have alleged that security forces deliberately targeted demonstrators, with the Human Rights Activists News Agency, based in the United States, reporting a significantly higher death toll of over 7,000 people.

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Iran has been an Islamic republic since 1979, and the current tensions are a continuation of the country's complex and often tumultuous history.