Iran kills over 3,400 protesters in deadliest crackdown since 1979

Thursday 15 January 2026 - 14:50

By: Dakir Madiha

Iran kills over 3,400 protesters in deadliest crackdown since 1979

Iranian security forces have slain at least 3,428 demonstrators during a ferocious suppression of anti-government protests that erupted late last December, marking the bloodiest civil unrest since the 1979 Islamic Revolution, according to rights groups meticulously documenting the deaths. Norway-based Iran Human Rights released the verified toll on Wednesday, with most killings occurring between January 8 and 12 at the protests' peak. The US-based Human Rights Activists News Agency tallied at least 2,615 fatalities, cautioning the true figure could be several times higher.

Amnesty International condemned the Iranian authorities for "unprecedented mass illegal killings," backed by verified videos and eyewitness accounts of security personnel firing rifles and shotguns at largely peaceful crowds. The crackdown unfolded amid a near-total communications blackout starting January 8, exceeding 156 hours as confirmed by internet monitor NetBlocks, severely hampering independent victim counts some sources suggest up to 12,000 deaths. Over 18,400 arrests followed, including hundreds of children under 17, with judicial chief Gholamhossein Mohseni-Ejei hinting at swift trials and executions in a televised address.

The scheduled execution of 26-year-old Erfan Soltani, arrested January 8 and sentenced to death without legal counsel, was postponed Wednesday amid international pressure, including stark warnings from US President Donald Trump of "very firm action." Trump stated that key sources assured him killings and executions had halted, though he left military options open. These remarks coincided with the US scaling back personnel at Qatar's Al-Udeid Air Base targeted by Iran in last June's 12-day conflict as a precaution.

Iran briefly shuttered its airspace Thursday without explanation, forcing flight cancellations and reroutes, while the British embassy in Tehran closed temporarily over security fears and several nations urged citizens to leave. Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi told Fox News the government held "full control" after "three days of terrorist operations," blaming Israel and the US for instigating the unrest. Sparked by the rial's collapse beyond 1.4 million to the dollar and rampant inflation, the protests swelled into the largest challenge to clerical rule in decades, prompting G7 nations to voice deep alarm and threaten fresh sanctions.