Iran Security Forces Kill Thousands in Protest Crackdown

Iranian security forces killed tens of thousands of protesters on January 8 and 9, 2026, in a violent crackdown across more than 400 cities and towns. The deaths happened as people fled clashes in urban areas, including markets set ablaze during the unrest. Protests had started in late December 2025 over economic woes and demands for change, drawing millions into the streets before an internet shutdown cut off news from the outside world.

Background

Protests began picking up in late December 2025, with people gathering in hundreds of locations to voice anger at rising prices, job losses, and government policies. By early January, crowds filled streets in Tehran, Kermanshah, Rasht, and other cities. Security forces used tear gas and arrests at first, but the response grew harsher as numbers swelled.

Reports show at least 34 protesters died in the first ten days through January 6, with over 2,000 arrests. On January 7, 13 more deaths pushed the count to 45. Children were among the dead, with at least three minors killed and over 40 under 18 arrested in the early days. Videos and witness accounts captured live ammunition fired into crowds, alongside beatings and roundups.

The situation exploded on January 8. Internet and phone services went dark nationwide, blocking reports for days. Snipers on rooftops and machine guns on trucks targeted demonstrators. In Tehran alone, hospitals logged at least 217 deaths that day. Protests hit around 4,000 spots countrywide, overwhelming police and guard units.

State media aired a speech from a Revolutionary Guard official on January 9, warning people to stay off streets. Bodies piled up faster than ambulances could respond. Semi-trucks hauled the dead when body bags ran out. Families searched morgues without word on missing loved ones.

Key Details

Death counts vary, but all point to massive losses over those two days. Two officials from Iran's Health Ministry told reporters as many as 30,000 people died on January 8 and 9. Hospitals in Tehran and elsewhere recorded 30,304 deaths by January 10, based on logs from doctors and first responders. This tally misses military hospitals, direct morgue transfers, and some rural areas.

Other counts run higher. Documents from security councils list over 36,500 killed, the deadliest two-day stretch in modern protest history. Interior Ministry sources put it past 30,000 by January 20, climbing to 36,500 in later reports. Activists verified 5,149 adult protester deaths, 60 minors, 208 security personnel, and 42 bystanders by January 24, with over 17,000 more under review—totaling more than 22,000.

Scenes from the Crackdown

In Kermanshah, forces chased protesters through a burning market, shooting as they ran. Witnesses saw people trampled or cut down by bullets to the head and chest. Rasht saw similar brutality, with crowds dispersing in panic amid flames and gunfire.

Human rights groups reviewed evidence of gunshot wounds on torsos and heads, signs of deliberate targeting. Thousands faced arrest, many held without contact or trial. Injuries numbered in the hundreds of thousands, with 330,000 reported hurt by mid-January.

A doctor in Tehran described the chaos at six hospitals: patients arrived with fatal wounds from the Thursday assault, staff working nonstop amid threats.

"So many people were slaughtered… it overwhelmed the state’s capacity to dispose of the dead. Stocks of body bags were exhausted, and eighteen-wheel semi-trailers replaced ambulances."
— Senior Iranian Health Ministry officials

Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei spoke on state TV on January 17, saying 'several thousand' died. Hardliners reported 3,117 by January 21, but internal figures dwarf that number.

What This Means

The scale of deaths marks a sharp turn in how Iran handles unrest. Past protests saw hundreds killed; this time, numbers hit five figures in days. Internet blackouts hid the worst, but leaks via satellite links revealed the truth slowly.

Protests quieted after January 9, with streets emptying under fear of more raids. Arrests continue, targeting organizers and bystanders. Families report torture and missing people in detention.

Global watchdogs call it mass killings, urging probes into shootings. Iran's government blames terrorists for some deaths, mixing protester and security losses at around 2,000 total. But doctor logs and ministry papers show civilians bore the brunt, mostly young adults under 30.

Health workers risked jobs to share data, compiling lists under guard presence. One surgeon overseas reviewed hospital records, noting gaps still leave the full toll unknown. Security councils tracked clashes in every province, from border towns to the capital.

The crackdown strains Iran's resources. Morgues overflowed, hospitals turned away wounded. Economic fallout grows as unrest lingers in memory. People now weigh risks before gathering, but underlying grievances—prices, jobs, freedoms—persist.

Reports from January 22 onward confirm the pattern: verified deaths at 4,714 adults, 42 minors, plus security and others. By January 25, tallies neared 30,000 for those two days alone. This event reshapes views of state power and public resolve in Iran.