Iran Protests: Reports Claim Over 16,000 Deaths; Data Discrepancies Surface

Iran is facing one of the deadliest crackdowns in decades as weeks-long protests over economic hardship continue, with medical professionals warning that the true scale of casualties is far higher than official figures suggest. Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei addressed the unrest publicly for the first time amid growing international concern.

The protests, initially triggered by surging inflation, a collapsing national currency, and rising unemployment, quickly evolved into widespread demonstrations calling for an end to clerical rule. Young Iranians, students, workers, and traders have taken to the streets, clashing with security forces across multiple cities. Authorities responded with internet shutdowns, restricted information flows, and the deployment of armed personnel.

A report compiled by doctors operating inside Iran estimates that at least 16,500 protesters have been killed and more than 3,30,000 injured, with most victims reportedly under the age of 30. Hospital records indicate the use of military-grade weapons, with gunshot and shrapnel injuries concentrated in the head, neck, and chest.

Professor Amir Parasta, an Iranian-German eye surgeon, highlighted an alarming rise in eye injuries, estimating that between 700 and 1,000 people have lost an eye. One Tehran hospital alone treated roughly 7,000 eye injury cases. Medical staff also reported fatalities due to blood shortages, sometimes exacerbated by security forces allegedly blocking transfusions.

In his first public comments on the crisis, Khamenei acknowledged “several thousand” deaths and blamed the United States for instigating unrest. He specifically condemned former US President Donald Trump, describing him as a “criminal” and accusing protesters of acting as “foot soldiers” for Washington.

Independent rights groups report lower but still significant numbers. The US-based Human Rights Activists News Agency has verified 3,090 deaths, including 2,885 protesters, and over 22,000 arrests. The wide disparity between official and independent figures reflects the challenges of verifying information amid government censorship and widespread internet blackouts.

Doctors relied on Starlink satellite internet to communicate their findings, with Professor Parasta describing the crackdown as a “genocide under the cover of digital darkness.” Satellite connectivity allowed images, testimonies, and casualty data to reach the international community despite attempts to suppress information.

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