In a rare and stunning admission, an Iranian official has acknowledged that nearly 2,000 people have been killed during the ongoing nationwide protests, marking the deadliest crackdown in Iran in years . The confirmation comes amid an internet blackout that has left much of the country cut off from the outside world. The statement is the first time an authority in Iran has publicly acknowledged such a high death toll , lending weight to earlier warnings from human rights groups that casualties could be far higher than initially reported. Rare Admission From Tehran According to Reuters , the Iranian official said around 2,000 people , including civilians and security personnel, have died since protests erupted in late December. The government has blamed what it calls “ rioters ” and “ terrorist elements ” for much of the violence, though it has not provided a detailed breakdown of civilian deaths versus security force casualties . How the Protests Began The unrest began on ...