Iran state TV acknowledges 'a lot of martyrs' as death toll surpasses 3,000: report

Iran State TV acknowledgment comes as activist groups report over 2,000 killed in Anti-government demonstrations NEWYou can now listen to Fox News articles! Iranian state television acknowledged Tuesday that the Islamic Republic has lost "a lot of martyrs" in ongoing anti-government protests sweeping the country, a report said. The development comes as at least 2,000 people have been killed in the demonstrations, according to an activist group. The U.S.-based Human Rights Activists News Agency announced that 1,847 of the dead were protesters and 135 were members of Iran’s security forces. Other reports say the death toll is over 3,000, with the real number likely to be even higher. A news anchor on Iranian State TV read a statement claiming "armed and terrorist groups" led the country "to present a lot of martyrs to God," The Associated Press reported. Iranian State TV said officials will hold a funeral Wednesday for the "martyrs and security defenders" who have died in the protests. Iran’s regime has been trying to crack down on the protests, which began in late December with shopkeepers and bazaar merchants demonstrating against accelerating inflation and the collapse of the rial. The unrest soon spread to universities and provincial cities, with young men clashing with security forces.