UPDATE - Iranian medical staff report rising death toll: Reports

ADDS DETAILS ON DEATH TOLL, REPORT ON US DISCUSSING IRAN STRIKES, CHANGES HEADLINE

By Serdar Dincel

ISTANBUL (AA) - Iranian medical staff reported dozens of deaths Saturday as widespread protests continue to roil multiple cities.

The BBC's Persian service reported that a hospital worker in Tehran said "around 38 people" had died, many with "direct shots to the heads of the young people, to their hearts as well."

Separately, a doctor in the northeastern city of Neyshabur said authorities killed "at least 30 people" there Friday, using "military rifles."

“Among them were children. A 5-year-old child was shot while in his mother’s arms," a female doctor told CNN.

The attacks injured many people, and authorities also fired on bystanders and pedestrians, she claimed.

Hospitals are overwhelmed and patients are "terrified" to be admitted or identified, prompting efforts to treat people privately in clinics, the doctor added.

It was not immediately possible to independently verify the figures she cited.

Iran has been rocked by protests since Dec. 28 at Tehran’s Grand Bazaar, because of the sharp depreciation of the Iranian rial and worsening economic conditions. Demonstrations later spread to several cities.

There are no official estimates on casualties, but the non-governmental organization HRANA put the toll at 65, with more than 2,300 detained.

- US threats

The Wall Street Journal said US officials have discussed potential military options against Iran, including possible targets.

Citing officials, the newspaper reported that the discussions were part of contingency planning linked to warnings to Tehran by US President Donald Trump that lethal force against protesters would result in possible strikes on Iranian targets.

One option under discussion was a large-scale aerial strike on multiple Iranian military targets, according to one official.

Another noted, however, that there was no consensus on what course of action to take, and that no military equipment or personnel had been moved in preparation for a strike.

Officials said the discussions were part of routine planning and stressed there was no indication of an imminent attack on Iran.

"Iran is looking at FREEDOM, perhaps like never before,” Trump wrote Saturday on his Truth Social platform. "The USA stands ready to help!!!"

He said Friday that Iran is “in big trouble” as protests spread, saying Washington is closely monitoring developments and warning authorities against using lethal force.

Iran has accused the US and Israel of fomenting the unrest, with officials warning that security forces and the judiciary "will show no tolerance whatsoever toward saboteurs."