Iran’s top diplomat demands Trump prove 32,000 protest deaths claim | Daily Sabah
by Anadolu Agency
Feb 21, 2026 12:58 pm
Iran’s Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi on Saturday rejected U.S. claims that 32,000 civilians were killed during unrest in Iran, saying Tehran has published its official figures and urging Washington to provide proof for any higher casualty estimates.
“You know, the people of Iran are a lot different than the leaders of Iran, and it’s very, very, very sad situation,” U.S. President Donald Trump said Friday, adding that 32,000 people were killed there over a “relatively short period of time.”
In remarks through social media platform X, Araghchi said Tehran had already fulfilled its “pledge of full transparency” by publishing an official list documenting 3,117 victims of what he described as “recent terrorist operations,” including around 200 security personnel.
He added that “if anyone disputes accuracy of our data, please share any evidence.”
Earlier Friday, Trump said he was “considering” a limited military strike to pressure Iran into a deal, without providing further details.
The latest wave of arrests comes weeks after protests in Iran that began peacefully over economic grievances but later turned violent, resulting in more than 3,000 deaths, according to official figures.
Iranian authorities accused the U.S. and Israel of backing what they described as “rioting” and “terrorism.”
Iran and the U.S. resumed nuclear negotiations earlier this month in the Omani capital Muscat, followed by another round of talks in Geneva on Tuesday under Oman’s mediation.
The renewed diplomacy comes amid heightened regional tensions, fueled by a significant U.S. military buildup in the Persian Gulf, as well as Iranian military drills.
Trump, speaking at the inaugural meeting of the Board of Peace in Washington, D.C., on Thursday, warned that the U.S. would opt for military action against Iran “within 10 to 15 days” if negotiations fail.
KEYWORDS
iran-us tensions
donald trump
iran protests
abbas araghchi
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