Iranian crackdown: Reports of 16,000 protesters killed in brutal suppression

Tehran/Washington (The Uttam Hindu): The fire of protest that has been simmering in Iran since late December 2025 has now taken a serious turn and shaken the entire country. What began as a protest fueled by economic issues like inflation and the falling rial has now become a direct anti-establishment wave and a rebellion against Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei. A shocking new report, based on on-the-ground medical reports, claims that at least 16,500 protesters have been killed and more than 330,000 injured in the government's brutal crackdown. Worryingly, most of the dead and injured are young people under the age of 30.

The US-based human rights group Human Rights Activists News Agency (HRANA) has confirmed 3,090 deaths so far, mostly among civilian protesters. Furthermore, over 22,000 people have been arrested. Meanwhile, Supreme Leader Khamenei has publicly acknowledged for the first time that the current unrest has resulted in thousands of deaths. However, instead of acknowledging his government's responsibility, he labeled US President Donald Trump a "criminal" and referred to the protesters as "America's foot soldiers." Doctors' reports indicate that the injured were shot in the head, neck, and chest, clearly confirming the use of military-grade weapons.

German-Iranian eye surgeon Professor Amir Parasta has described the current situation in the country as "genocide under the cover of digital darkness." According to data from major Tehran hospitals, thousands of people have suffered eye injuries, and approximately 700 to 1,000 have lost their eyesight completely. The report also revealed that many deaths occurred because security forces did not allow blood transfusions to the injured. Professor Parasta warned that this crackdown has now reached children and pregnant women. The internet blackout that has been ongoing for several weeks has completely cut Iran off from the world, disrupting the flow of information.