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Up to 400 Iranian soldiers killed during January unrest — president

Masoud Pezeshkian added that more than 2,000 were innocent civilians

TEHRAN, February 26. /TASS/. Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian has stated that up to 400 soldiers and at least 2,000 civilians lost their lives during January's unrest. He dismissed US President Donald Trump's claim that 32,000 protesters were killed, questioning its credibility.

"They accuse Iran of being a breeding ground for evil and terrorism. Are we terrorists? Are we responsible for killing our own people?" Pezeshkian challenged on Iran's state television. "Yesterday, the US president claimed that Iran organized the mass murder of 32,000 individuals. Did we commit such atrocities? We have provided detailed statistics and even passport numbers of those involved. Anyone asserting higher figures should substantiate their claims. Of the reported casualties, more than 2,000 were innocent civilians, and 300 to 400 were military personnel defending law and order."

At the end of January, Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi announced that the death toll from the unrest had reached 3,117.

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