Ask Onix
Iran sees deadliest protests in years
At least 496 protesters and 48 security personnel have died in two weeks of anti-government demonstrations across Iran, according to a U.S.-based rights group. The unrest, sparked by economic grievances, has evolved into calls for regime change.
Casualties mount amid violent clashes
Human rights organizations report that nearly 500 protesters have been killed since demonstrations began on 28 December. The death toll includes a 26-year-old futsal coach and referee, Amir Mohammad Koohkan, shot during a protest in Neyriz, Fars Province, on 3 January.
"It was far too soon for him. He was so young. Everyone knew him for his kindness and good nature," a close friend told BBC Persian.
BBC Persian
Five days later, 23-year-old student Rubina Aminian was fatally shot from behind during a protest in Tehran. Rights groups allege government forces fired the lethal shot. Aminian's uncle described her as "a strong girl who fought for what she knew was right."
Protests spread nationwide
The demonstrations, initially triggered by economic hardship, have expanded to 186 cities and all 31 provinces, according to the Human Rights Activist News Agency (HRANA). Protesters are now demanding the end of the Islamic Republic and the rule of Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei.
Iranian authorities have responded with a severe crackdown, arresting over 10,600 people, HRANA reports. Medical staff in Iran have described hospitals overwhelmed with casualties, while footage verified by BBC Persian showed 70 bodies at a single hospital in Rasht and 180 body bags at a morgue near Tehran.
Families face obstacles in mourning
Aminian's family, who traveled from Kermanshah to Tehran to identify her body, were forced to search through hundreds of deceased protesters. Her mother stated, "It wasn't just my daughter; I saw hundreds of bodies with my own eyes."
Iranian authorities allegedly refused to release Aminian's body initially and later blocked her burial or mourning ceremonies in her hometown. The family was reportedly compelled to bury her along a road between Kermanshah and Kamyaran.
Government and international reactions
Supreme Leader Khamenei has labeled protesters "troublemakers," while U.S. President Donald Trump threatened intervention, stating the U.S. military was considering "very strong options." Iran has accused protesters of being backed by the U.S. and Israel.
The current unrest marks the largest protests since 2022, when demonstrations erupted following the death of Mahsa Amini, a Kurdish woman detained by morality police. Over 550 people were killed and 20,000 arrested during that crackdown, according to rights groups.
Information blackout complicates reporting
The Iranian government has imposed an internet shutdown since Thursday, hindering the verification of reports. International news organizations, including the BBC, are unable to operate inside Iran, relying on sources and footage from activists and rights groups.
