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Warning: This article contains graphic descriptions of violence that some readers may find distressing.
Isfahan resident describes streets turning into 'war zone'
An Iranian woman who recently returned to London after visiting family in Isfahan has provided a harrowing account of the government's violent suppression of nationwide protests, which erupted following the collapse of the Iranian currency.
Parnia, who asked to be identified only by her first name, told the BBC she witnessed security forces firing live ammunition and birdshot at demonstrators in her neighborhood, leaving streets covered in blood.
Protests spread rapidly across Iran
The unrest began in Tehran but quickly reached other cities, including Isfahan, where hundreds gathered in the Hakim Nezami and Khaghani districts. Protesters, ranging in age from seven to seventy, chanted slogans such as "Death to the dictator"-a reference to Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei-and "Long live the shah," invoking Iran's pre-1979 monarchy.
Parnia described the scene as unprecedented in her experience, despite Isfahan's history of protests and crackdowns. "There were women and men from seven to 70 years old," she said. "On just one street, there were 200 to 300 people."
Security forces escalate violence against demonstrators
According to Parnia, authorities initially deployed tear gas before forming a line and firing birdshot at the crowd. "I saw people getting shot and falling down, and I saw blood on the street," she recounted. Forced to flee through alleyways, she was pulled into an apartment building where she encountered injured protesters, including a young woman with pellet wounds in her leg.
Videos verified by the BBC from the night of the crackdown show large crowds in Isfahan's streets, with protesters erecting barricades from traffic signs and metal sheets to shield themselves from gunfire. Footage also captured demonstrators breaching the gates of the state broadcaster Irib's building, which was later set ablaze.
Khamenei vows no retreat as Revolutionary Guards issue warnings
On January 9, Supreme Leader Khamenei declared that Iran would not yield to what he termed "destructive elements," a day after U.S. President Donald Trump warned of severe consequences if Iranian authorities killed protesters. Shortly afterward, the Revolutionary Guards sent mass text messages urging citizens to avoid gatherings in areas of unrest, labeling cooperation with protesters as "treason."
Despite the threats, Parnia joined demonstrators again on Friday evening. "The protesters were hopeful," she said. "You could see fear on everyone's faces. We were afraid to pass in front of the security forces and come closer together."
She noted a shift in tactics, with protesters dispersing into smaller groups in alleyways to evade live fire. The BBC has not yet obtained footage from that night due to internet blackouts and protesters' reluctance to carry phones.
Medical facilities overwhelmed as wounded avoid hospitals
Parnia described chaotic scenes at a local clinic treating injured demonstrators. With phone lines down, many refused to go to hospitals for fear of arrest. "All the nurses could do was clean the wounds and send them home," she said. The next day, the smell of tear gas lingered in the air, and security forces maintained checkpoints across the city.
After leaving Isfahan for Tehran to catch a flight to London, Parnia witnessed further unrest. "At 8pm, everyone started to chant, and I could hear gunshots," she said. The airport was crowded, with many foreign flights canceled, but she managed to secure a seat on an Iranian airline.
Hundreds suffer severe injuries as authorities suppress medical care
Since returning to the UK, Parnia has stayed in contact with friends in Isfahan, who reported that doctors at Feiz Eye Hospital performed approximately 300 surgeries to remove birdshot pellets from patients' eyes. "Every time you go out into the streets, you see random people with eye patches," her friends told her.
Health workers informed the BBC that hospitals are under surveillance by security forces, leading many with gunshot wounds to avoid seeking treatment. Some doctors are referring patients to private clinics to evade arrest. "Many of the injured are developing infections," Parnia's friends said.
Death toll disputed as protests continue abroad
While Iranian authorities claim around 3,000 people were killed during the protests, the U.S.-based human rights group HRANA has confirmed over 4,600 deaths, with nearly 10,000 additional cases under review. The group also reports at least 7,300 serious injuries, though the actual figures may be higher.
Parnia, now in the UK, plans to join Iranian opposition protests, vowing to amplify the voices of those silenced in Iran. She criticized international media narratives suggesting divisions within Iran's opposition, stating, "Iranians have shown what they want in the streets and paid a high price for it."
