Iranian State TV Hacked Amid Protests, Death Toll Reaches 3,919
Hackers disrupted Iranian state television broadcasts to air footage supporting exiled Crown Prince Reza Pahlavi, urging security forces to refrain from violence against protesters. This incident follows a crackdown on demonstrations, with the death toll reaching at least 3,919, according to the Human Rights Activists News Agency. The protests, which began on December 28, were sparked by economic grievances. The U.S. military presence in the region has increased, with the USS Abraham Lincoln aircraft carrier and other vessels entering the Strait of Malacca, potentially heading towards the Middle East. The Iranian government has not confirmed the death toll, but Supreme Leader Ayatollah Khamenei acknowledged that “several thousand” people have died during the unrest.
Published 20 hours ago • 19 Jan 2026, 11:53 AM IST