IRAN’S CRACKDOWN KILLS AT LEAST 6,126 PEOPLE, ACTIVISTS SAY, AS THE COUNTRY’S CURRENCY COLLAPSES. (PHOTO).

 Iran’s crackdown kills at least 6,126 people, activists say, as the country’s currency collapses

 Iran’s crackdown on nationwide protests has left at least 6,126 people dead, with many more feared killed, activists reported Tuesday, as the country faces growing economic turmoil and heightened tensions with the United States. The rial has fallen to a record low of 1.5 million per dollar, intensifying public anger over skyrocketing prices for everyday goods. The figures come as a U.S. aircraft carrier group, including the USS Abraham Lincoln and accompanying guided missile destroyers, arrived in the Middle East, providing Washington with the ability to respond militarily if needed.

The protests, which began on Dec. 28 after a sharp decline in the rial’s value, have been met with an intense and violent government crackdown. Activists reported at least 5,777 protesters among the dead, along with 214 government-affiliated forces, 86 children, and 49 civilians who were not demonstrating. Authorities have arrested more than 41,800 people during the unrest. Iran’s government disputes these numbers, reporting a death toll of 3,117, including civilians, security forces, and those it calls “terrorists.” The activist-reported figures mark the deadliest wave of unrest in decades, recalling the widespread turmoil of the 1979 Islamic Revolution.

The crisis comes as Iranian-backed militias in the Middle East have signaled they are willing to engage militarily if conflict escalates. Groups including Yemen’s Houthis and Iraq’s Kataib Hezbollah warned of potential attacks, and Hezbollah indicated it would prepare for aggression but did not specify its actions. These threats arrive amid U.S. warnings of military responses in the wake of violent crackdowns on protesters and the possibility of mass executions in Iran.

Economic strain is a key factor driving unrest. The rial has collapsed to historic lows, and government subsidies have been sharply reduced. Most citizens now receive the equivalent of roughly $7 per month to help cover rising costs, but savings have been devastated over the past decade as the currency has fallen from 32,000 to $1. State media has sought to blame foreign forces for the protests, but widespread anger over living costs, shortages, and inflation is widely seen as the main driver.

Iran’s military, while still recovering from a war with Israel in June, has warned of regional escalation if the U.S. intervenes. The country’s network of proxy militias, known as the “Axis of Resistance,” stretches across Gaza, Lebanon, Yemen, Syria, and Iraq, though its influence has weakened after recent conflicts in the region. With U.S. forces positioned nearby, and international attention on Iran’s internal crisis, the country faces mounting pressure both domestically and internationally, even as violent crackdowns continue and economic conditions worsen.