Tehran is once again pointing the finger at “terrorists” for last month’s bloodshed, rejecting outside estimates and doubling down after President Trump just issued his own high estimate. Trump told reporters Friday that 32,000 people were killed in the unrest, declaring that “the people of Iran have lived in hell” under the ruling clerical regime of the Ayatollah. That figure is one of the highest offered so far, even significantly beyond some Iranian opposition claims. But Tehran has rejected this. It’s far beyond even what most Washington-friendly mainstream media said in real time as the bloody protests were unfolding. Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi announced Saturday that the government has published a list of 3,117 individuals he called “victims of recent terrorist operations.” The official figure notably includes roughly 200 security personnel – suggesting at least some elements of the protests were armed, dangerous, and attacked police and military. Iranian officials have alleged the protesters had outside covert help from Israel and the United States. Indeed, the US mainstream media has lately confirmed that the US government covertly shipped in thousands of Starlink terminals to aid the anti-government movement’s communications and ability to organise. “If anyone disputes the accuracy of our data, please share any evidence,” Araghchi wrote […]