At least 5,000 people have been killed in nationwide protests in Iran since late December, including about 500 security personnel, according to an Iranian regional official.

The unrest, sparked by economic hardship and escalating into calls to end clerical rule, represents the deadliest turmoil since the 1979 Islamic Revolution.

Iranian leaders, including Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, blamed the deaths on “terrorists and rioters” allegedly backed by the United States and Israel, while U.S. President Donald Trump accused Tehran of killing protesters and called for new leadership.

Rights group HRANA reported a lower confirmed death toll of more than 3,300, with thousands more cases under review and over 24,000 arrests, CNBC has reported.

Authorities say the crackdown has largely quelled protests, though witnesses and verified videos show security forces using lethal force against demonstrators.