Araghchi’s Firm Response to Trump’s Claims: Speak With Evidence
Iran rejects Trump’s unsubstantiated claim of 32,000 deaths in January unrest, citing official figures and accusing Washington of narrative fabrication.
Iran, PUREWILAYAH.COM - Iran’s Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi has categorically dismissed US President Donald Trump’s claim that 32,000 people were killed during two days of unrest in Iran in January, calling on Washington to present evidence rather than issue unsubstantiated figures.
In a post on X, Araghchi said Iran has already released official casualty data and stressed that anyone disputing these figures must substantiate their claims with proof.
Earlier, Trump claimed during a White House briefing on Friday that 32,000 people were killed during two days of unrest in Iran in January, without citing any source or evidence. The remarks were made while he was addressing an unrelated Supreme Court ruling on US tariffs, drawing criticism over the lack of substantiation.
Tehran Points to Foreign-Backed Violence
Iranian officials have repeatedly stated that the unrest was later hijacked by foreign-backed networks, citing evidence and public statements linking the violence to the United States and the Israeli regime.
Iranian authorities have referenced remarks by former US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo and social media posts attributed to Israel’s intelligence agency Mossad as evidence of external encouragement of riots.
Russia’s state news agency TASS also reported that forensic examinations identified Israeli military-grade ammunition in the bodies of children killed during the unrest.
Officials said the unrest began in late December 2025 as peaceful demonstrations driven by economic pressure and sanctions, which were permitted under police protection. Authorities maintain the situation escalated only after organized violent networks intervened, redirecting protests toward chaos and armed attacks.
False US Claims Used to Drive Escalation Against Iran
False claims over casualty figures were advanced by Washington amid rising tensions, following reports that US officials discussed assassination scenarios targeting Iran’s leadership, including Sayyed Ali Khamenei, according to Axios.
Tehran says the deliberate inflation of casualty figures is part of a coordinated propaganda and narrative warfare campaign aimed at manufacturing political justification for confrontation and aggression against Iran, even as opposition to another regional war continues to expand within the United States itself. (PW)