Over 12,000 feared dead after Iran protests

Tehran, Iran – January 13, 2026 — A staggering death toll has emerged from Iran's escalating nationwide protests, with credible sources now estimating that over 12,000 people may have been killed in the regime's brutal crackdown — potentially rising as high as 20,000 — marking what opposition groups describe as the largest massacre in the country's contemporary history.

The figures, reported by CBS News citing two sources including one inside Iran, come as limited communications have begun to trickle out following a near-total internet and phone blackout imposed by authorities. Activist networks compiling data from medical officials, hospitals, and eyewitness accounts across the country have painted a grim picture of mass casualties, predominantly from live ammunition fired at close range during the most intense nights of repression on January 8 and 9.

Adding to the horror, a verified 16-minute video circulating online — first shared by Iranian activist and blogger Vahid Online — shows hundreds of bodies piled up at the Kahrizak Forensic Medical Center, a morgue facility in a Tehran suburb. The graphic footage depicts rows of black body bags lining floors and outdoor areas, with visible wounds from bullets and shotgun pellets, alongside piles of bloodied clothing. Desperate families are seen attempting to identify loved ones amid the overwhelming scenes.

Here are some of the heartbreaking visuals that have emerged from the morgue overflow, illustrating the sheer scale of the reported tragedy:The protests, which erupted on December 28, 2025, initially focused on skyrocketing living costs, rampant inflation, and economic mismanagement in Iran's sanctions-battered economy. They quickly transformed into a broad anti-regime uprising, spreading to all 31 provinces with chants of "Death to the Dictator" targeting Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei and calls for an end to the Islamic Republic's theocratic rule.

Iranian authorities have acknowledged some 2,000–3,000 deaths overall but attribute many casualties to "terrorists" and foreign-influenced agitators, while blaming violence on protesters themselves. State media has aired footage of morgue scenes but portrayed the dead largely as bystanders or security personnel killed in clashes.

Human rights organizations like the U.S.-based Human Rights Activists News Agency (HRANA) have documented far lower — though still rising — verified counts in the hundreds to low thousands, citing challenges in confirming figures amid the communications blackout. Opposition outlets such as Iran International have stood by the higher estimate of at least 12,000 killed, based on cross-checked information from government insiders, medical personnel, and field reports.

The crisis has drawn sharp international attention. U.S. President Donald Trump has repeatedly warned of potential intervention if the regime continues killing peaceful demonstrators, stating the U.S. is "locked and loaded" and ready to act. British officials have expressed fears the toll could prove "significantly higher," while European leaders have condemned the excessive force.

As phone lines slowly reopen and more accounts emerge, the world watches a nation in turmoil — where economic despair has ignited demands for fundamental change, met with what many fear is unprecedented state violence. The coming days will likely reveal whether the protests can sustain momentum or if the regime's iron-fisted response will crush the uprising, as it has so many times before.

17GEN4.com