[photo credit to Pexels]

Under the direction of President Trump, the U.S Treasury’s Office of Foreign Assets Control released a press on January 30, imposing sanctions on “Iranian officials responsible for the recent brutal crackdown on their people”. 

Six Iranian officials were sanctioned, including an Iranian investor accused of embezzling billions from the Iranian people. 

The Iranian officials were held responsible for the deaths of thousands of peaceful protesters. 

Secretary Bessent criticized that the regime wasted the nation's oil revenues on military development rather than the wellbeing of the citizens.

The protests started on December 28 in Iran’s capital city Teheran, due to the rising inflation from currency depreciation. 

It then rapidly spread nationally on January 8 against the regime's catastrophic economic mismanagement, which funded weapons, nuclear programs, and terrorist militaries over the needs of Iranian citizens. 

This protest is described as the deadliest incident of repression since 1979 when the Islamic Republic took power. 

Following Iran’s conflict with Israel in June, Iran's currency, rial, has lost its value, exceeding a 40 percent loss. 

Iran’s currency has been depreciating since the end of the nuclear deal with the United States and the sanctions imposed in 2018. 

The protesters aim to end Iran’s international isolation and economic and security restrictions currently in place. 

Ali Khamenei, leader of Iran, claimed protesters as “rioters and terrorists" and initiated a crackdown.

He ordered military forces, the IRGC, to kill protesters and those who are suspected as rebellions with no mercy.

An internet shutdown was also implemented, which restricted the voice of Iranians, and limited information and the extent of the crackdown to the outside world. 

The internet blackout not only restricted the flow of information, but also disrupted the everyday life of Iranians. 

Banks, hospitals, pharmacies, and government officials are all facing struggle due to this. 

It has been officially reported that 3,117 people have died.

However, these statistics are only limited to Tehran and large cities, so the actual casualty is estimated to be significantly higher. 

Dr. Hashim Moazenzack, a surgeon in France, maintains contact with hospitals in Iran, and according to him, at least 22,000 deaths have been recorded. 

With four weeks of internet shutdown and the ongoing protest crackdown, the international human rights group and anti-regime media estimate around 30,000 casualties. 

Masoud Pezeskian, president of Iran, said that the United States and Israel triggered and encouraged people to protest against the regime.

In his speech on Saturday, he claimed that normal protests don’t use guns or violence of any kind and said the United States and Israel “took advantage of our problems" and  tried to create hatred and division among people to tear down the country. 

President Trump continues to threaten Iran to stop the deadly crackdown, warning of a potential military strike.