Iranian Forces Unleash Deadly Crackdown on Protesters
Iranian authorities have initiated one of the most lethal crackdowns on civil unrest in over a decade. Videos, eyewitness accounts, and medical testimony reveal approximately 2000 deaths have occurred. This information emerges despite a near-total communications blackout imposed by the government.
Security Forces Open Fire on Unarmed Crowds
Security forces are firing on largely unarmed protesters. They are using automatic weapons and shooting indiscriminately at times. Medical staff report a sharp escalation in injury types. Wounds have progressed from pellet injuries to gunshot wounds and skull fractures.
A doctor treating protesters described the situation as a mass-casualty event. "Our facilities, space and personnel were far below the number of injured people arriving," the doctor stated in testimony released by the Center for Human Rights in Iran. "The trauma cases I saw were brutal, shoot to kill."
Communication Blackout Hampers Verification
Iranian authorities have shut down internet services, international phone lines, and domestic mobile connections in some areas for several days. This makes independent verification of events extremely difficult.
However, videos that have surfaced show disturbing scenes. Rows of body bags fill morgues. Grieving families gather around bloodied corpses. In footage aired on Iranian state television, a morgue official stood among body bags and made a telling statement. "The majority of these people are ordinary people. Their families are just ordinary families," the official said.
Death Toll Estimates Vary Widely
Human rights groups state hundreds have already been killed. They struggle to confirm exact figures due to the communications blackout.
A senior Iranian Health Ministry official spoke anonymously to The New York Times. The official claimed about 3,000 people have been killed nationwide. This figure includes hundreds of security personnel. The official blamed "terrorists" for the violence.
Another government official said he reviewed an internal report citing at least 3,000 deaths. He warned the death toll could still rise. If confirmed, this figure would rank the current violence among the worst episodes of state repression in Iran's recent history.
Eyewitnesses Describe Chaotic Scenes
Eyewitnesses report snipers positioned on rooftops in parts of Tehran. These snipers are firing into crowds. Peaceful demonstrations turn suddenly chaotic when gunfire erupts.
A nurse at Nikan Hospital in northern Tehran described a dire situation. Nineteen gunshot victims arrived within a single hour, completely overwhelming hospital staff. A doctor at Shohada Hospital said many protesters were declared dead on arrival. They had close-range gunshot wounds to the head, neck, lungs, and heart.
"The regime is on a killing spree," said a protester identified as Yasi. She asked that her full name be withheld for safety reasons.
Protests Began Over Economic Grievances
Protests initially erupted late last month. They were sparked by Iran's worsening economic conditions, including sharp currency devaluation. Officials initially acknowledged public grievances.
Demonstrations rapidly expanded from marketplaces and universities. They grew into large-scale protests across cities and rural areas.
Government Shifts Narrative, Vows Revenge
Iranian leaders have since shifted their public narrative. They now accuse armed groups and foreign enemies of orchestrating the unrest.
Iran's attorney general, Gholam-Hossein Mohseni-Ejei, addressed the supreme judicial council. "Take firm and effective measures to avenge the martyrs and those killed," he said, according to the semi-official Tasnim news agency.
Hospitals Monitored, Wounded Detained
Rights groups have raised serious concerns about hospitals being monitored by security forces. Hadi Ghaemi, executive director of the Center for Human Rights in Iran, said his organization received alarming reports. Wounded protesters are being detained inside medical facilities.
"They take the injured protesters to the hospital and if they recover, they arrest them," said Saeed, a Tehran-based businessperson. He spoke to The New York Times using a satellite internet connection. "If the families arrive, they try to somehow help them escape."
Protesters Remain Defiant Despite Violence
Despite the severity of the crackdown, Saeed said the violence has not deterred protesters. "People are not afraid anymore," he stated firmly. The crackdown continues as the world watches, with limited information trickling out through the digital blockade.
