Iran Protests: Iran State TV admits high death toll; Trump warns of ‘very strong action’ if Iran hangs protesters

The Exiled Iranian Crown Prince Reza Pahlavi called on specialists in the field of communications to target the state's infrastructure so that the world can establish contact with the protesters.

As protests have rolled on to another week, Pahlavi has emerged as a vocal supporter of the demonstrators, backing what he describes as a nationwide movement against the Islamic Republic. He compared the protesters to the Persian mythological character Kaveh.

"My compatriots, greetings to all of you who, like Kaveh, stand against Zahhak and fight. The regime, through severe repression, killing, and cutting off communications, is trying to instil fear and terror in you, and to make you despair of continuing the movement and struggle. But know that because of your steadfastness and fight, thousands of military and security forces have not gone to work so as not to participate in the repression," he said in an X post.

Kaveh is known for his resistance against Zahak in Iran. Zahaa is a personification of evil in Iranian mythology. In modern times, Kaveh is sometimes invoked for political aims.

"And a special message to specialists in the field of internet and communications: target the regime's information infrastructure so that the connection of our compatriots with the world can be re-established," he added.

US Senator Lindsey Graham has issued a sharp warning to Iran's Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, responding to remarks in which the Iranian leader cautioned American politicians against what he described as hostile actions toward Iran amid nationwide anti-governmental protests, which Tehran claims are "foreign-backed".

In a post on X, Senator Graham directly addressed Khamenei, adopting a sarcastic and confrontational tone.

"To the Ayatollah: we don't talk as much as we used to. Have I offended you? As to your recent warning to American politicians, I hear Moscow is a winter wonderland. Beware of the drones. Make Iran Great Again," Graham wrote.

The Indian rupee is poised to open weaker on Tuesday, bogged down by the softness in Asian peers and US President Donald Trump's tariff warning to countries doing business with Iran.

The 1-month non-deliverable forward indicated the rupee will open in the 90.22-90.26 range versus the US dollar, having settled at 90.1525 on Monday, according to a Reuters report.

On Monday, Trump said countries that do business with Iran would be hit with a 25% tariff on US trade, with Washington assessing its response to widespread protests in Iran.

The top export destinations for Iranian goods are India and China.

Nobel laureate Malala Yousafzai on Tuesday highlighted the decimating freedom of women and girls in Iran, saying that they have long been restricted from all aspects of public life.

Yousafzai further said that the restrictions have spanned across several spectrums and go way beyond the classroom.

In a post on X, she said, “The protests in Iran cannot be separated from the long-standing, state-imposed restrictions on girls' and women's autonomy, in all aspects of public life, including education. Iranian girls, like girls everywhere, demand a life with dignity.”

"The people of Iran have long warned about this repression, at great personal risk, and their voices have been silenced for decades. These restrictions exist within a wider system of gendered control shaped by segregation, surveillance, and punishment -- one that limits freedom, choice, and safety far beyond the classroom," she added.

US President Trump received a briefing from senior officials on Monday on possible responses to Iran’s protests, including military strikes, cyber operations, and psychological measures to support protesters, CBS News reported, citing sources.

“The officials said cyber and psychological operations can occur simultaneously with traditional military force, in what military planners call integrated operations. They could also be deployed as stand-alone options,” CBS reported.

"The two American officials said that no final decision had been made and that diplomatic channels remain open," the report said.

US-based rights group HRANA said by late Monday it had verified the deaths of 646 people, including 505 protesters, 113 military and security personnel and seven bystanders, and was investigating 579 more reported deaths.