Death Toll in Iran Protests Surges
A new report reveals that at least 16,500 people have died and more than 330,000 injured amid the ongoing anti-government protests in Iran, where the regime is reportedly targeting demonstrators and bystanders with unprecedented violence.
This shocking figure is considerably higher than the roughly 3,100 deaths previously reported by activist groups. The new numbers come from medical professionals treating the wounded during the protests, as noted by The Sunday Times.
Data gathered from eight major hospitals and 16 emergency departments shows that between 16,500 and 18,000 individuals have lost their lives, with many victims believed to be under 30.
“This level of brutality is unprecedented,” said Professor Amir Parasta, an Iranian-German eye surgeon, speaking on behalf of numerous medical staff in Tehran. He noted that unlike the previous protests in 2022, where rubber bullets caused injuries, this time military-grade weapons are being used, resulting in severe wounds to the head, neck, and chest.
According to the report, an additional 330,000 to 360,000 individuals have been injured, including many children and pregnant women. Alarmingly, at least 1,000 people have lost an eye, with one hospital alone reporting 7,000 eye-related injuries.
“We don’t even know who to treat first due to the overwhelming number of shotgun injuries,” said one eye specialist.
The protests began on December 28 and quickly spread throughout all 31 provinces, evolving from economic discontent to the most significant challenge to Iran’s clerical leadership since the 1979 Islamic Revolution.
In response, the regime has deployed the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps and Basij militias to suppress the uprising, according to numerous human rights organizations and eyewitness accounts.
As the violence escalated, Iranian authorities enacted a near-total internet blackout on January 8, creating a digital void for more than a week. This move is largely viewed as an attempt to conceal the massacre and control the flow of information outside Iran.
“This situation is genocide hidden in digital darkness,” Parasta stated. “They declared they would kill us until the protests stop, and that’s precisely what they are doing.”
Despite the internet restrictions, graphic videos have emerged showing bodies stacked in and around morgues, including at Tehran’s Khalizak Forensic Center, while desperate families search for missing loved ones amidst threats.
An individual who managed to escape Iran described horrifying nights where Revolutionary Guards were “shooting at everyone” and “intentionally aiming for people’s heads.” Another witness recounted that a sniper targeted individuals from a rooftop.
Doctors have noted that many victims succumbed to severe blood loss. Although medical teams at various hospitals are doing their best to donate blood to save lives, security forces are reportedly interfering with blood transfusions in some cases. “We fight for hours, only to lose patients who aren’t allowed to receive blood,” lamented a surgeon in Tehran.
This escalating massacre has created a tense situation between Iran and the United States, leading President Trump to instruct the Pentagon to prepare military options amidst claims of impending mass executions. However, when reports surfaced that Iran had suspended hangings, the White House quickly stepped back from its stance.
