"Iran protest death toll at 12,000"... Trump says "Help is on its way"

[Financial News]  
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A claim has emerged that the death toll from the protests in the Islamic Republic of Iran has reached 12,000.
It is being alleged that the number of deaths surged after a direct order to open fire was issued by the country’s supreme leader, Ayatollah Seyyed Ali Khamenei.
Against this backdrop, United States of America (US) President Donald Trump on the 13th (local time) posted on his social media, urging Iranian protesters to seize government buildings and stating that US support would arrive soon.
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According to foreign media including The Associated Press (AP), the death toll from the protests, which began as demonstrations against economic hardship in the Islamic Republic of Iran and then expanded into anti-government rallies, has been rapidly rising as the authorities resort to a hard-line crackdown.
Human Rights Activists News Agency (HRANA), based in the United States of America (US), estimated that about 2,000 people have been killed during 17 days of protests up to this day, including 1,847 demonstrators and 135 members of the military, police and other security forces.
HRANA also claimed that more than 16,700 people have been arrested, and that nine children and nine civilians not involved in the protests have been killed.
Iran Human Rights (IHR), headquartered in Norway, reported that 734 protesters have been confirmed dead, but added that unverified information suggests the death toll could reach 6,000.
Iran International, an anti-regime media outlet based in the United Kingdom, reported that at least 12,000 people have been killed.
Iran International asserted that this was because members of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) and its affiliated militia, the Basij, opened fire on the protesters.
Iran International further reported, citing information obtained from the Supreme National Security Council of Iran and the presidential office, that Supreme Leader Ayatollah Seyyed Ali Khamenei personally gave the order and that the heads of the three branches of government approved the command to fire.
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US President Donald Trump has been encouraging the anti-government protests in the Islamic Republic of Iran.
In a post on his social media platform Truth Social, he referred to the Iranian anti-government protesters as "patriots" and urged them to "take over" government institutions. He also told them to keep lists of those involved in the killings, underscoring that these people should later be held accountable.
Trump also declared that he would cancel all meetings with Iranian officials until the Islamic Republic of Iran stops killing protesters.
He emphasized to the Iranian protesters that "HELP IS ON ITS WAY." The phrase appears to omit the apostrophe in "IT'S" and disregard grammar and punctuation in order to convey a stronger message.
As the protests in the Islamic Republic of Iran intensified and Trump signaled the possibility of supporting the demonstrators, international oil prices jumped by around 2.6%.
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dympna@fnnews.com Song Kyung-jae Reporter