Iranian families defy crackdown with memorials for slain protesters

Tuesday 17 February 2026 - 16:00

By: Dakir Madiha

Iranian families defy crackdown with memorials for slain protesters

Forty days after Iranian security forces killed thousands of demonstrators in one of the deadliest episodes of state violence in the country’s modern history, families across Iran are holding memorial ceremonies this week to honor those who died, blending mourning with open defiance.

The gatherings mark the traditional fortieth day of remembrance observed in Shiite Islam, which signals the end of the formal mourning period. According to The New York Times, the commemorations are seen as a test of both the government’s grip on power and the endurance of its opponents. They coincide with renewed nuclear negotiations between Iran and the United States in Geneva, as Tehran faces mounting pressure to secure sanctions relief amid deep economic strain.

The protests began on 28 December 2025, when merchants at Tehran’s Grand Bazaar rallied against the collapse of the Iranian rial and surging inflation. Within days, demonstrations had spread to all 31 provinces, evolving into broader calls for an end to clerical rule.

The most intense violence occurred on 8 and 9 January after Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei ordered security forces to suppress the unrest by any means necessary, according to reporting by The New York Times and Iran International. Human Rights Activists News Agency, a US based organization, reported 7,002 confirmed deaths, with an additional 11,730 cases under investigation. Other estimates cited by Time and Iran International placed the death toll between 30,000 and 36,500 over those two days alone. Iranian authorities have acknowledged 3,117 deaths.

Amnesty International described January 2026 as the deadliest period of repression by Iranian authorities in decades. More than 52,000 people were arrested, according to HRANA.

As families prepare memorials, authorities have sought to shape or limit public observances. The government announced official mourning ceremonies in Tehran and Mashhad, with Vice President Mohammad Reza Aref encouraging participation in state organized events. At the same time, security forces have reportedly pressured some families to avoid public ceremonies, according to rights groups and relatives cited by The New York Times.

Some families have sought compromises to ensure they can gather. Michael Askari, who said three members of his family were shot in their car during protests near Tehran, told the newspaper that relatives agreed not to chant political slogans in exchange for permission to hold a ceremony. Others plan to visit cemeteries in smaller groups to reduce the risk of intervention.

The commemorations unfold as Washington and Tehran resume nuclear talks in Geneva. US envoy Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner met Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi this week. Araghchi later said that the path toward an agreement was open and that the sides had reached understandings on basic principles.

President Donald Trump has warned of potential military action if no deal is reached, while Iran continues to demand sanctions relief in return for limits on its nuclear program. The recent unrest and the scale of the crackdown have added to economic and political pressure on Tehran, where sanctions have contributed to the financial hardship that helped ignite the protests.

For many Iranians, the memorials represent both private grief and a public statement. As one accountant in Mashhad told The New York Times, citizens have done what they could, and attention now turns to whether diplomatic efforts will bring tangible change.