Iran’s largest wave of protests in years has escalated into a deadly crackdown on Thursday night as security forces opened fire on demonstrators across multiple cities. The violence unfolded even as a near-total government-imposed communications blackout remained in force, severely limiting the flow of independent information from inside the country.
Tehran Hospitals Record Over 200 Deaths: Doctor
A doctor based in Tehran, speaking to TIME on condition of anonymity, said that just six hospitals in the Iranian capital had recorded at least 217 protester deaths, with most victims killed by live ammunition. The figure has not yet been confirmed by any official authority.
If verified, the reported toll would represent one of the bloodiest crackdowns in recent Iranian history and would come in direct defiance of a warning issued by US President Donald Trump, who had cautioned that the Iranian regime would “pay hell” if it killed protesters.
Bodies Removed, Young Protesters Among the Dead in Iran
According to the physician, authorities removed many bodies from hospitals overnight and again on Friday. The doctor said the majority of those killed were young people.
Among the most severe incidents described was an attack outside a police station in northern Tehran, where security forces allegedly sprayed machine-gun fire at protesters. At least 30 people were shot during the incident, with many dying “on the spot,” the doctor said. Activists also reported at least 30 fatalities linked to the same episode.
Nationwide Protests in Iran Spread Across All Provinces
The demonstrations have now spread to all 31 provinces of Iran. What began as protests against an economy in freefall has since expanded into a broader movement calling for the overthrow of the authoritarian Islamic regime that has governed the country of approximately 92 million people since 1979.
While the rallies have largely remained peaceful, marked by chants of “Freedom” and “Death to the Dictator,” there have also been reports of vandalism targeting government buildings.
Human rights organizations have reported significantly lower casualty figures than those cited by the Tehran-based doctor. The Washington, D.C.-based Human Rights Activist News Agency, which counts only victims who have been individually identified, reported at least 63 deaths since the protests began, including 49 civilians.
Zubair Amin is a Senior Journalist at NewsX with over seven years of experience in reporting and editorial work. He has written for leading national and international publications, including Foreign Policy Magazine, Al Jazeera, The Economic Times, The Indian Express, The Wire, Article 14, Mongabay, News9, among others. His primary focus is on international affairs, with a strong interest in US politics and policy. He also writes on West Asia, Indian polity, and constitutional issues. Zubair tweets at zubaiyr.amin
