New Delhi [India], January 18 (ANI): Former diplomat KP Fabian said on Sunday that Iran's Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei openly described US President Donald Trump as a criminal, linking his remarks to widespread protests that erupted across Iran following sharp price increases.

Fabian noted that the unrest came after the United States reimposed sanctions that had previously been lifted during Barack Obama's presidency but were reinforced after Trump's return to office.

He said, 'I heard what Khamenei said, he called Trump a criminal. It is true that protests broke out in Iran over rising prices after the United States imposed sanctions. These sanctions had been removed during Obama's time but were reinforced after Trump's comeback.'

The Human Rights Activists News Agency (HRANA) said on Sunday that despite the continued widespread internet blackout and intense security pressure, confirmed figures show that the total number of verified deaths has reached 3,308, with another 4,382 cases still under review. So far, 2,107 people with severe injuries have been identified, and the arrest of at least 24,266 individuals has been confirmed.

On this day, the Leader of the Islamic Republic for the first time acknowledged that 'several thousand people' had been killed during the protests. The release of new images from forensic medicine centers, an increase in mass arrests, and the intensification of international reactions were among today's most significant developments, as per HRANA.

The nationwide internet shutdown, which began on January 8, passed the 200-hour mark on the twenty-first day and continues. Although very limited and brief increases in connectivity were reported at certain points in recent hours, overall access to the global internet remains at only a few per cent of normal levels.

The continuation of this situation has caused severe disruptions to citizens' communications, independent information-sharing, and the transfer of information from inside the country. Families of those killed or detained are facing serious difficulties in following up on the status of their loved ones, and the process of collecting and verifying human rights information is encountering unprecedented delays and limitations, As per HRANA.

Meanwhile, media outlets close to security institutions have reported the limited activation of messaging applications and what they refer to as the 'national internet,' a measure that, according to these sources, aims to control communications and sever connections between networks outside the country and those inside. Nevertheless, the global internet is still reported to be cut off, and no specific timeline has been announced for the full restoration of connectivity, as per HRANA. (ANI)