A British commentator has aired serious but unconfirmed claims that Iran’s security forces may have used chemical agents against protesters during the ongoing nationwide demonstrations, alleging that some victims later died from delayed effects.

The remarks were made during a UK broadcast by former Minister of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs Bill Rammell, who read from what he described as a credible but unverified report, asserting that toxic substances — potentially in addition to live ammunition and other force — had been deployed against demonstrators and contributed to subsequent fatalities.

The claims have not been corroborated by government sources or independent international investigations and remain at this stage based on preliminary accounts.

Iran has seen widespread protests since late December, rooted in economic grievances and exacerbated by a sharp fall in the value of the rial, rising living costs and broader political discontent.

Security forces, including the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps and police units, have responded with measures that rights groups characterize as a violent crackdown involving lethal force, firearms, tear gas, beatings and mass arrests.

International monitoring groups and human rights organizations report that at least several thousand people may have been killed in the unrest, with figures varying significantly due to restricted access to information and near-total internet blackouts imposed by Iranian authorities.

Mortality estimates range from confirmed lists of a few thousand to opposition-aligned claims of far higher tolls, while Iran’s own officials have cited at least around two thousand deaths.

The alleged use of chemical agents, if substantiated, would add a troubling dimension to an already severe crackdown that has drawn condemnation from global rights bodies and prompted sanctions and diplomatic pressure from Western governments.

Tehran has not publicly addressed the specific allegation of chemical use, and Iranian state media largely portray the unrest as violent “riots” orchestrated by “enemies” of the state.

Independent verification of the chemical use claims — including the nature of any substances involved, circumstances of deployment and fatality linkage — remains elusive due to restricted reporting conditions and the sensitive security environment across much of Iran.