Iran Protests Highlights: Nationwide deaths during unrest cross 500, more than 10,600 arrested

US President Donald Trump said on Sunday that he plans to speak with billionaire entrepreneur Elon Musk about restoring internet access in Iran, where authorities have imposed widespread shutdowns amid ongoing anti-government protests.

Speaking to reporters, Trump said Musk’s companies could play a role in re-establishing connectivity after being asked whether Washington would engage with SpaceX, which operates the satellite-based internet service Starlink.

“He’s very good at that kind of thing, he’s got a very good company,” Trump said, referring to Musk’s technical capabilities.

Starlink has previously been used to provide internet access in Iran during periods of government-imposed restrictions.

At least two people were injured on Sunday afternoon after a U-Haul truck drove into a crowd of demonstrators during an anti-Iranian regime rally in the Westwood area of Los Angeles, CBS news reported.

The incident occurred outside the Wilshire Federal Building, where a large number of demonstrators had gathered to show solidarity with ongoing protests in Iran.

US President Donald Trump said that he and the US military are weighing “strong options” in response to escalating unrest in Iran, including possible military action, as large-scale protests continue across the country.

Video footage circulating on Sunday showed families and mourners chanting anti-government slogans during funerals for protesters killed in recent unrest in Iran.

The videos, shared by local media, were recorded at cemeteries in Tehran, where the bodies of those killed in the protests were brought for burial. The scenes showed funeral rites accompanied by Islamic prayers, alongside open expressions of dissent from grieving relatives and supporters.

In the footage, mourners can be heard clapping and chanting slogans directed at Iran’s leadership, including “Death to Khamenei,” a reference to Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei. Other chants included “Death to the dictator” and “I will kill the one who killed my brother,” reflecting deep anger and grief among those attending the funerals.

Iranian authorities have called for a nationwide march on Monday to show support for the ruling establishment, urging citizens to rally against what officials described as insults to Islamic symbols during recent protests.

The call was issued on Sunday by the Islamic Propagation Coordination Council, which asked people across the country to take part in demonstrations scheduled for 2 pm local time, according to state media.

Iran’s state broadcaster Islamic Republic of Iran Broadcasting reported that participants were encouraged to bring copies of the Quran to the march, which authorities said was organised in response to actions by protesters that allegedly included desecration of religious texts.

“This move is in response to recent insults to the Quran and Islamic sanctities and desecration by rioters and terrorists,” IRIB said in its report as quoted by CNN.

The IPCC is among Iran’s most influential state-backed institutions and plays a central role in organising official rallies and religious events. It also oversees published material and public messaging to ensure alignment with government policy.

“Our hour is approaching,” Venezuela’s opposition leader Maria Corina Machado said as she voiced support for Iranian protesters defying the country’s ruling establishment.

In a post on X, Machado said Iranians continued to protest “in the streets of more than 100 cities” despite “brutal repression”.

“My deepest respect to the brave people of Iran who, at this hour, continue protesting in the streets of more than 100 cities in that country, despite the brutal repression they face,” she wrote.

United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres has expressed alarm over reports of violence against demonstrators in Iran, urging authorities to act with restraint.

In a statement issued on Sunday, UN spokesperson Stephane Dujarric said the secretary-general was disturbed by accounts of excessive force being used against protesters.

“The Secretary-General is shocked by the reports of violence and excessive use of force by the Iranian authorities against protesters,” Dujarric said.

He added that Guterres had appealed to Iranian officials “to exercise maximum restraint and to refrain from unnecessary or disproportionate use of force.”

Amid ongoing violence in Tehran, US President Donald Trump is expected to meet senior advisers on Tuesday to discuss options for Iran, a US official told Reuters on Sunday.

Earlier, the Wall Street Journal report confirmed the same.

Iran has rejected social media claims that Indian nationals were arrested during the ongoing unrest, calling the reports false. Ambassador Mohammad Fathali said posts alleging the detention of Afghan and Indian nationals were misleading and urged people to rely on credible sources. The denial comes as protests continue across several provinces.

Read the full report here.

The US-based son of Iran’s ousted shah said on Sunday that he is ready to return to the country and play a leading role in any transition away from the current system of rule.

Reza Pahlavi, speaking on Fox News' Sunday Morning Futures, said he would go back to Iran as soon as conditions allow.

"I'm prepared to return to Iran at the first possible opportunity. I'm already planning on that," Pahlavi said during the interview.

"My job is to lead this transition to make sure that no stone is left unturned, that in full transparency, people have an opportunity to elect their leaders freely and to decide their own future," he said.

Pahlavi, the son of the shah ousted in the 1979 Islamic Revolution, has lived in exile for decades and has repeatedly called for international support for democratic change in Iran.

Authorities in Turkey on Sunday stopped Iranian nationals from staging a protest outside Iran’s consulate in Istanbul, sealing off the area and preventing demonstrators from gathering, according to news agency AFP.

Police cordoned off streets around the consulate and barred access to the site, citing security concerns. Officers also dispersed small groups that attempted to assemble nearby despite steady rainfall.

Turkey, a majority Sunni Muslim country, shares a roughly 500-kilometre border and three land crossings with Iran. It hosts a sizeable Iranian population, including more than 74,000 residents holding permits and about 5,000 registered refugees, according to official figures.

Several Iranian exiles had planned to rally in Istanbul to voice support for protesters back home. One young Iranian living in Turkey said she wanted to show solidarity with those taking part in demonstrations across Iran, even as Turkish authorities moved swiftly to prevent any protest near the diplomatic mission.

Iran has summoned the British ambassador after a protester removed the Iranian flag from the embassy building in London, Iranian state media reported. Demonstrator seen raising pre-Islamic Revolution lion and sun flag in support of protests challenging Tehran regime.

Iran has announced three days of national mourning for those it described as “martyrs” killed during two weeks of unrest, including members of the security forces, according to news agency AFP.

The government portrayed the violence linked to the protests as part of what it called an “Iranian national resistance battle against America and the Zionist regime”, framing the unrest as foreign-backed “riots”.

President Masoud Pezeshkian has called on citizens to join nationwide rallies on Monday, urging participation in what he described as a “national resistance march”. State television said the demonstrations are intended to denounce violence that authorities blame on “urban terrorist criminals”.

Unrest in Iran has claimed more than 500 lives, according to a human rights group, as tensions escalated with Tehran warning it could target US military bases if President Donald Trump intervenes in support of protesters. The Islamic Republic is facing its largest wave of demonstrations since 2022, putting intense pressure on the clerical leadership.

Trump has repeatedly warned of possible action if authorities continue using force against demonstrators. US-based rights group HRANA, citing activists inside and outside Iran, said it has verified 490 protester deaths and 48 fatalities among security forces, while reporting that over 10,600 people have been arrested nationwide.

Activists gathered in Paris to show solidarity with the Iranian people as anti-government protests continued to spread across Iran.

The death toll linked to the protests in Iran has risen to 466, according to the US-based human rights group HRANA.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Sunday said Israel is carefully following the unfolding protests across Iran, describing them as a powerful expression of the Iranian people’s desire for freedom. Speaking at the beginning of a cabinet meeting, Netanyahu noted that demonstrations have spread nationwide and praised the courage shown by Iranian citizens despite heavy risks.

He said the resilience and determination of the protesters have drawn admiration not only from Israelis but from people around the world. Netanyahu added that there is widespread hope that the Iranian people will eventually overcome oppression and free themselves from what he called the burden of tyranny.

At least 203 people have been killed in nationwide protests in Iran, and activists warn the actual toll could be significantly higher, amid a heavy crackdown by security forces, according to rights groups tracking the unrest, the Associated Press reported.

Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian said his government is firmly determined to resolve the country’s economic problems “by any means possible,” while distinguishing between peaceful protest and violence. He said authorities are ready to hear and address legitimate grievances raised by citizens. However, Pezeshkian accused the United States and Israel of directing unrest by backing rioters and bringing in terrorists from abroad, alleging they have burned mosques and carried out acts of sabotage. He urged families not to allow young people to join violent groups, warning that such elements kill innocents and threaten national security.