Iran protests report cites mass deaths as Witkoff delays US military action - report

A new report obtained by The Sunday Times says Iran experienced a large civilian death toll during recent nationwide protests, as the country endured a near-total internet and communications blackout and Western governments weighed possible military action. Doctors cited in the report estimated that at least 16,500 protesters were killed and about 330,000 injured, with many of the deaths occurring over two days. Most were believed to be under the age of 30.

Iran faced a complete shutdown of internet and communications for roughly ten days, leaving tens of thousands of families unable to determine whether missing relatives were alive or dead. Social media posts that later emerged documented the deaths of young athletes, students, and artists, including teenagers and people in their early twenties. One doctor quoted in the report described the situation as “genocide under cover of digital darkness,” referring to the blackout that limited outside scrutiny.

In the report, one family described how their daughter in her twenties was shot dead during demonstrations in the historic city of Isfahan. After she failed to return home, the family searched hospitals and morgues for days before paying 700 million tomans, about £3,700, to security forces. They were then driven five hours to another town, where her body had been discarded in an old grave.

Meanwhile, senior US officials told The Washington Post that President Donald Trump considered launching airstrikes against Iran as tensions peaked earlier this week. According to a US official cited by the newspaper, the situation shifted after Iran contacted the Trump administration upon becoming aware of US movements in Tehran. 

According to the official, Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi sent a text to US special envoy Steve Witkoff, saying that Iran’s government canceled the planned executions of 800 people, which “kind of also defused the situation.” After hearing about that message from Witkoff, Trump told reporters in the Oval Office that he learned the killings would stop. “I greatly respect the fact that they canceled,” Trump said Friday as he prepared to leave the White House for his Mar-a-Lago estate.

“We’re going to watch and see,” Trump had told reporters in the Oval Office after receiving word of the decision from Witkoff. US intelligence later confirmed the executions did not take place, the official said.

Israel also urged caution over a US strike, according to officials cited in the report. According to the newspaper, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahuhad had asked Trump not to proceed with strikes, citing Israel’s preparedness and the absence of significant US military assets in the region. 

Israeli officials also expressed frustration on Saturday with Witkoff over his approach on Gaza and Iran, pointing to him as the key influential figure behind these decisions, i24NEWS's Guy Azriel reported Saturday night. “If it turns out that he is among those blocking a strike on Iran, that is far more than a coincidence,” they said.

The Israeli officials mention ongoing dissatisfaction with Witkoff. Sources close to Prime Minister Netanyahu told i24NEWS on Saturday: “For several months now, the feeling has been that envoy Steve Witkoff has strong ties, for his own reasons, across the Middle East, and that at times the Israeli interest does not truly prevail in his decision-making.”